Magical Final Fantasy X
by Gryffindor-RikkuChan
Summary: AU Harry, star player of the Gryffindor Lions, is thrown to a new world by Sin. There he meets Summoner Hermione and her guardians, and a Al Bhed named Ginny. This is his story. HrH
1. Enter Harry, the BlitzBall Player

Magical Final Fantasy X

Chapter1 Enter Harry, the BlitzBall Player

In the ruins of a once great city around a campfire sat seven people. One person, a boy around seventeen wearing a yellow jacket, black shorts, yellow sneakers with black tips, full arm guard, black gloves with dark midnight hair and emerald green eyes stood up. A girl around his age with short spiky brown hair and chocolate brown eyes wearing a white kimono top, yellow obi, red tie, purple skirt, and black boots looked up at him. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She closed her eyes. He climbed a nearby hill overlooking the view.

_Listen to my story; this may be our last chance._

The City of Gryffindor Thousand Years Ago

The setting sun cast a red glow over the coastal city of Gryffindor. Beyond the tall buildings of the city a snow capped mountain loomed. The city was impressive owning its technological advancement. Gryffindor epitomized the modern city and its inhabitants lived out their days in convenience inspired luxury. All work was done by machinery and all the people had to worry about was keeping themselves occupied.

And that they did, born of a need for stimulation a new sport arose. The underwater sport of BlitzBall. Played in a suspended sphere of water the ball game was the main focus of most of the people of Gryffindor. The players became celebrities and rivalry between teams could be likened to war.

One of these players, an up and coming star of the Gryffindor Lions, was at home getting ready for the game that very night. The Lions would up against the Sly Daggers, their long-standing rivals and the only team close to the skill of the Lions. He was dressed in his usual outfit of yellow, black, and red, the team's colors. Black shorts, yellow jacket and shoes with a full arm guard and black gloves. The armguard was there on the pretence of protecting an old shoulder injury but in reality it came handy when tackling some of the larger defence opponents. Harry peered out of the front window of his waterfront house. As the sun set slowly across the bay he could see a group of fans gathered on the key not far from his front door. The young blitzball star gave a wry smile. At least they weren't coming to the door anymore.

Thinking forward to the game that night Harry picked up his duffle bag, ran a hand through his dark spiky hair and heaved a sigh. For some reason he wasn't feeling positive about the game. He kept feeling as though something was wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it. Shrugging, he headed out the door. He had only taken a few steps when one of the people milling around caught him sight of him and in an instant a bunch of fans gathered around him clamouring for attention.

"Can you sign this?" a young boy asked eagerly. Two other boys, looked equally avid, flanked him.

"No prob," Harry told him pulling out a pen and signing the kid held out to him. The boy looked awed and his friend immediately jumped in his stead.

"Please?" he implored his own blitzball.

Harry grinned, "Alrighty", he told him before giving the boy his autograph.

The third boy jumped up and down in excitement, "Me too!"

"Take it easy" Harry laughed. He turned as two young girls came up to him holding blue blitzballs as well.

The one with brown hair looked at him coyly, "Can I have your autograph?" she asked.

"Of course," Harry said taking her ball.

"Good luck tonight" her friend said as she waited to receive her autograph. Harry took her blitzball and signed it than span it on his finger.

"Nothing to worry about," he told them, "Oh," he added, "If I score a goal. I ah…," he paused, "Do this!"

Harry raised both hands, index fingers extended, "That'll mean it was for you," he grinned, "Ok?"

The two girls giggled.

"What seat?" Harry wanted to know.

The brown haired girl ducked her head shyly, "East block in the first row," she replied.

"Fifth from the right," the other girl volunteered.

Harry folded his arm; "Got it!" he turned and looked at the group of fans still clustered around him.

"Well," he said, "Gotta go. Cheer for me."

The three boys he had spoken to first ran to him.

"Two, three," the first one counted then the other two joined him as they chorused:

"Teach us how to blitz!"

Harry looked awkward, "Hey, I got a game to play."

"Than teach us after," one of the boys said.

"Er, maybe tonight…um, well," he started.

"You can't tonight," a voice from behind him interrupted.

Harry looked over his shoulder. Behind him stood a short boy dressed in a strange purple hooded top and tatty brown shorts, no one else seemed to have noticed him. For some reason he followed the boy's advice.

"How about tomorrow?" he suggested to the boys.

"Promise?" the third boy asked.

Harry smiled and held up a fist, "Promise!"

As one the three boys raised their hands than brought them down in a sweeping arc to form a circle at their stomachs before bowing slightly. Harry smiled as he recognized the blitzball sign for victory.

As he made his way to the stadium the excitement was palpable in the air and many people stopped him to say good luck or to ask for an autograph. Around him he could hear the commentator from the stadium being broadcast across the city.

'_I was in a coffee shop running away from home when I heard the news. James, our hero gone, vanished into thin air. My dad must have been his biggest fan. I knew how sad he'd be, heck I think we all were that day. Zanar I said to myself what are you thinking? I went running straight back home. We stayed up talking about James all night. My dad and I never talked so much. Whoa, didn't mean to reminisce flocks.'_

Harry made a face at the commentator's comments and turned to look back the way he had come. On one of the buildings he had passed, and made a point not to look at, was a banner bearing the face of the legendary James. The best blitzball player the Lions or Gryffindor had ever seen and Harry's father.

Just as Zanar had said James had gone missing ten years previous. Harry had been seven at the time, old enough to remember a lot about his father. Unfortunately he didn't particularly like what he remembered. He would even go as far as to say he hated the man.

Harry recalled his father as an arrogant man who believed himself the best and everyone else inferior including his own son. Nothing Harry did was ever good enough and before long Harry had stopped seeking his father's approval and had begun to resent him.

After James's disappearance Harry had been confused about his feeling toward the distant man that had been his father. His mother had fallen into a deep depression from which she never recovered. Not long after his father's disappearance Harry's mother had died.

But instead of being left alone a mysterious man named Snape had appeared in the young blitzer's life. Mysterious being the operative word. Not disclosing where he came from or how he knew so much about Harry and his life Snape had been there, lurking in the background, ever since. Even though he never took an active role in his life, Harry always got the impression that he could count on Snape. That the mysterious man was watching over him.

Harry turned from the banner and his speculative thoughts with a snort of derision. He wondered briefly where Snape was as he continued on the stadium.

Arriving at the gate he was swamped by another mad rush of fans. Somehow he managed to weave his way through them and enter the locker rooms of the Lions. There he met his fellow teammates warming up for the match, which was scheduled to start within the hour.

"Hey, H," the Lion's goalkeeper, Kienn, called as he spotted the dark haired blitzer.

Harry touched fists with him. "Hey," he returned, "You ready for this?"

"Bring it on," Kienn said. He jumped onto a bench. "Right?" he yelled.

Harry and other Lions cheered and hollered in response but fell silent when the door swung open. A short but well built man with jet black hair entered.

"Coach," Harry greeted.

"You guys sound pretty psyched," their coach told them sitting amongst them on one of the benches, "But before you rip into the Daggers let's discuss tactics."

The team groaned but gathered around him as he began to go over their strategies and the tactics of the opposing team.

Reclining against edge of the sphere pool, which had not been activated yet, Harry appeared totally relaxed nut in reality he was wound tight with excitement and anticipation. With his eyes closed he listened the lapping of the water collected in the run off trough and tried to ease the slight queasiness in his stomach.

It wasn't that he was nervous; he had played countless big before the queasiness came from the feeling of unease he had been falling all day. The feeling he couldn't identify but was interfering with his concentration.

Around him a hum of machinery that signalled the sphere pool was about to be activated. He opened his eyes as the crowd started to cheer and stood holding a blitzball in one against his thigh. In centre of the circular rim, which circumvented the sphere pool and on which he now stood, a ball of blue energy gathered sending sparks of light into the already charged atmosphere.

The air was filled with a tense silence as the energy ball grew before exploded outward in a wave of light to form a sphere of water, which stopped inches from Harry's face. The crowd roared. Harry gave a smirk and reached out with his free to touch the seemingly solid surface of the sphere. But his gloved fingers broke the surface and even though the sphere was breached no water slipped from the hole.

Taking a deep breath Harry plunged head first through the wall of the sphere pool and into the water within.

High above the nighttime lights of the city where the roar of the crowds and lights of the stadium had muted by the distance, a man walked casually across the rooftop of a skyscraper. Compared to the technological environment of Gryffindor the man looked out of place. He was dressed in a red knee length coat, which was cinched at the wrist with a thick brown belt. His black pants were tucked into his heavy boots giving him an archaic look. The only thing that did fit in with his modern surrounding was his sunglasses.

Behind the dark lenses only one looked out over darkened city, the other being marred by a long scar, which ran over his right from high on his forehead to low on his check. His dark close-cropped hair was tinged with grey.

Without so much as a glance at the stomach lurching drop below him the man known as Snape walked out on a concrete strut, which jutted out over the edge of the building. Looking toward the bay his expression held more than calm anticipation. As he watched the water of the bay welled upward slowly at first then faster to form a sphere of water, which detached itself from the ocean and hovered above the city.

Far below Snape could hear faint screams and shouts as people began to notice the strange disturbance. But the gigantic sphere of water did not disturb the man in red. Below the sphere of the water ball there was a hilt of movement and a flash of many eyes peering down at him. Removing a white flask that had been attached to his belt he held it out toward the monster encased in water.

At the stadium in the centre of town the match between the Daggers and the Lions was in full swing. The crowd roared as Harry caught the ball effortlessly behind his back before spinning gracefully in the water and sending it flying to his teammate in the centre of the sphere pool. Tillem, the team's midfielder, caught the ball just seconds before a member of the opposing team tackled him from behind sending the newly acquired blitzball out of his hands in the hands of another Dagger.

Harry gave a malicious smile before kicking powerfully with his legs and aiming for the Dagger who was now swimming fast in the direction of Kienn. His speed gave the advantage and before his opponent even realized what was happening the dark haired blitzball star drove his guarded shoulder into his opponent's stomach causing him to release and the ball and go hurtling through the surface of the blitzball pool and into the crowd. Harry folded his arms and gave a smirk then retrieved the blitzball, which was floating lazily in front of him.

Within moments a replacement player was in the sphere pool and Harry could see his coach's expression on the sidelines. He could expect a lecture later. As he returned to his place in formation Harry again felt a flutter of uneasiness and involuntarily looked behind him. There was nothing there of course but for a moment he could have sworn was someone was sneaking up on him. Harry shook his head abruptly and returned his attention to the match, which had resumed, by the blow of the whistle.

He hesitated, watching his teammates and immediately recognized the swimming pattern for a Sphere Shot, Harry's signature shot. The team's right defence and the only girl, Furia, seized the ball and instead of passing it on kicked it upwards with force. The ball shot upwards barely hindered by the water's resistance and broke the surface of the sphere pool. As it rushed upwards through the night air Harry followed.

The crowd screamed in anticipation as they walked the dark haired blitzer breach the sphere pool and form a lazy back flip with his body. Just as the ball reached its zenith he flung out his arms and prepared to volley it towards the opposing team's goal.

Before he could however and for no good reason Harry did something he had never done before. He took his eyes off the ball. It was thus that he saw the large orb of water suspended above the harbour. The surface of the sphere, much larger than of the pool which held the game, rippled and beneath the surface hundreds of eye like lights shifted and swiveled.

Harry forgot all about the ball, he forgot all about the game, in fact he forgot just everything as he gazed at the water-encased creature. As he gazed in awe, his body already loosing momentum and beginning to fall, the body of water sent three missiles of energy filled water toward the city centre. When they exploded waves of water erupted breaking through buildings and bridges easily as if they were paper.

Below him a wave of water engulfed the crowd and the stadium's mechanisms causing the sphere pool to shut down prematurely. As the water began to break up and obey the laws of gravity Harry too started to fall. As he plummeted however he had the presence of mind to grab the edge of the sphere pool run off. His fall jerked to a stop wrenching his shoulder and almost breaking his tenuous hold on the stone barrier.

Below him the water of the sphere pool settled into bottom of the stadium like a lake and the surviving spectators and blitzball players ran for the exits which where already falling down around their ears. Still in shock Harry's only thought was to get himself to safety. Swinging his other arm he tired to grasp the stone run off but he could his other hand, the only one anchoring him in mid air, slipped on the wet stone.

Harry felt his heart beat once with domineering in his ears before the sickening sensation seized him and he plummeted into the ruined stadium's depths. 


	2. The Adventure Begins

I think the title of this chapter fit, because in the game, this is where Tidus begins his adventure. Right now, you know of Harry and Snape, next chapter, you meet the Harry Potter 'Rikku' of this story. 

Chapter 2 The Adventure Begins

Harry's first sensation upon wakening was pain. His second was a feeling of resignation and he wondered why. Before he could ponder it further the sounds of panic reached his ears and banished all ponderous thoughts and self-pitying pain. Hauling himself dizzily to his feet Harry steadied himself on a large piece of broken masonry and looked around. The stadium was in ruins and the people, panicked and in shock, ran blindly around him. The water from the sphere pool, which had run away between the creaks leaving only puddles and pools, had clearly broken his fall. It had not however saved him all injury.

His wrenched shoulder ached and his body felt like one big bruise. Looking at his immediate surroundings he recognized the entrance to the stadium. The two enormous statues, which had supported the banners of the which ever two teams were playing that night, lay in ruins. The archway too had fallen away in lieu of the powerful waves, which had assaulted the city.

This line of thought reminded Harry sharply of the reason for the destruction and the sight he had just seen before his rather ungraceful fall to earth. He walked a little unsteadily over the debris scanning the sky for signs of hostile creature. It was thus that he almost walked into Snape who was leaning against a boulder of cement and stone waiting for him.

Harry did a double take, "Snape!" he said rather stupidly.

The older man gave him a bland look and straightened up.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked looking around uneasily.

"Waiting for you," Snape replied simply. He started walking down the road towards, Harry noted, the source of the panic.

The dark haired blitzer frowned, "What are you talking about?" he demanded but Snape was either out of earshot or chose to ignore him. Harry gave a sigh of irritation and jogged after him.

Before he catch up with him however he slowed to a stop and looked with some concern at the panic of people jostling him from all sides. He looked once again the orb of living water above the harbour and wondered not for the first time what it was and why it had attacked so suddenly. Then, without knowing why, Harry looked behind him.

Time seemed to congeal. Behind him stood the purple hooded boy from earlier in the evening. For some reason Harry felt a sense of relief and walked toward him. But he could reach him though he discovered something rather disconcerting. He spun around with a gasp. All the people on the road had frozen in the act of running; the air around them seemed to waver as time slowed to a stop for only them.

"It begins," the boy said from behind him.

Harry turned back to him and frowned. He felt his grip on reality was tenuous enough so he did risk saying anything, just in case.

"Don't cry," the boy said, sounding a little troubled.

Harry raised an eyebrow and was about to retort that he wasn't cry thank you very much but at that moment there was a flash of light and the boy disappeared. Time returned and the people started to run and scream once more. Harry spun around again looking in disbelief as time reclaimed the movements of those around him.

He looked around a bit frantically, "What the…" he started but at that moment he spotted Snape a few feet away watching him causally.

"Hey wait," he called and ran toward him. He skidded to a halt next to the man in red and bent over panting, "Not this way," he said exasperatedly.

Snape ignored this and nodded forward, "Look," he commanded.

Harry swiveled his head sideways and followed Snape's line of sight. He straightened abruptly, his mouth hanging open. Above them and a lot bigger so up close, was the orb. Below the shimmering surface of the globe of water Harry could clearly make out the shifting of taunt muscle beneath leathery skin and the scrutiny of many little eyes. Harry took an involuntary step back.

"We call it Sin," Snape said.

Harry looked at him, _Do we?_ He thought. Out loud he said, "Sin?"

Snape didn't answer but continued at the thing called 'Sin'. The vibrations of a nearby crash borough Harry's attention back in the same direction. On the side of a building close to the orb a tentacle like creature clung, writhing and twisting. As they watched hundreds of pods along its length started to quiver before flying off and landing haphazardly around the city. Many of them landed near Harry and Snape.

Harry looked at Snape but the older man did not seem disturbed by the events. Harry turned his attention to the pods, which had landed point first in the road. As he watched the pod opened out, sprouting wing like fins and large eyes. It put Harry in mind of a scaly bird with four legs.

Several of the bird like creatures advanced. Harry scowled and waved his arms in what he hoped was a threatening way. One of the creatures snapped its fins at him causing to back up so fast he sat down with a thud. Snape appeared in his line of sight holding a sword in hand. The metal of the lethal looking blade was stained red.

Snape inclined the handle toward him and Harry took it hesitantly. Snape used the sword and pull him to his feet before releasing it. Harry closed his other hand around the leather bound hilt. He gave a few experimental swings and found the sword was slightly heavier than he had expected.

"A gift from James," Snape said.

"My old man?" Harry was surprised and it showed in his expression.

He looked at Snape who stood to his left. Over his shoulder the man in red had a slung a long blade, considerably longer than Harry's. He gave the Sinspawn his full attention.

"I hope you know to use it," Snape said, sounding slightly sardonic.

Harry frowned but nodded all the same. If he didn't he was sure going to learn in a hurry.

With little hesitation Snape swung his blade at one of the Sinspawn cutting it easily in two, before moving to the next, "These ones don't matter," he called as Harry managed to cut the legs off one of the scaly fiends, "We cut through."

_Oh good,_ Harry thought. He was feeling awkward with the sword in comparison to the grace he was accustomed to in the Sphere pool. After killing the Sinspawn blocking their way the two ran forward toward…where?

Harry glanced up at the building bearing the visage of his father. The smirk on James's face only served to irritate Harry even more. "What are you laughing at old man?" he muttered to himself. He looked at Snape who had stop running and was intently down the road. He seemed to know exactly where he was going even if the blitzer didn't.

"Snape!" Harry called, "Let's get out of here."

A slow, humorless smile spread across the face of the older man, "We're expected," he said before jogging forward once more.

"Huh?" Harry said stupidly, "Give me a break, man." He sighed as he was left with little choice but to follow. Behind him more Sinspawn landed, filling the area fast. Before long the way forwards and backwards were blocked by the skitterish Sinspawn. They were surrounded.

"Hmm," Snape said with a frown, "This could be bad." Harry was inclined to agree. The man in red cast around for an exit but his eyes fell on a wreaked tanker lying on the side of the road. Hefted his sword on his shoulder, Snape took two long strides toward it and brought the blade down on the fuel tank, hard.

"What are y-," Harry started incredulously, but was cut off as the shock of the explosion knocked the breath from his body. On the plus side it also knocked most of the Sinspawn away and the remaining were as dazed as Harry himself. Snape suddenly appeared at his side, looking miraculously unscathed despite having been directly beside the tanker when it exploded.

"Go," he commanded.

Harry looked at the high bridge road ahead of them. Already it was creaking and crumbling from the force of the blast. Soon it would fall away completely. With one last incredulous look at Snape, the blitzer launched himself forward, running nimbly across the broken masonry. Behind him, there came another explosion and this one caused the damaged section of the road to come away from its tenuous holdings and start to fall away.

Harry stumbled, almost fell then with his remaining momentum, launched himself bodily at the undamaged bridge meters away from him. Only just making it, he caught the broken lips with both hands and hung there, dazed for a moment. Below him, the bridge fell away completely, bringing down buildings below it.

As he began to pull himself up, a figure appeared above him, looked down with interest.

"Snape!" Harry called, expecting the man to give him a hand. He was rather surprised therefore when Snape turned his head upward and said, "You are sure?"

It was then Harry noticed the heaving, pulsating mass above them. The centre of the mass shone brightly and swirled like a vortex. Around them pieces of buildings and other debris were being sucked upward toward the mass and the pieces of the bridge, Harry clung to jerked free of its foundations and began to rise as well. _Sin_, the blitzer thought detachedly. He re-adjusted his grip on the bridge and managed to haul himself upward so his elbows were over the edge as well. Before he could pull himself the rest of the way, Snape reached down and grasped his shirtfront.

Harry grunted as the man in red hauled him upward and looked at him in the eye.

"This is it," Snape said as the blitzer grasped his wrist with both hands. "This is your story. It all begins here."

Harry struggled briefly with the older man's grip and was about to say, "You can me down now," when Snape seemed to stretch upward into the swirling light above them. Harry's eyes grew wide and he let out a yell of surprise and fear as his world went white.

_Harry felt weightless and as he opened his eyes, discovered why. Suspended in the air, high above the decimated city of Gryffindor, Harry realized vaguely that he had to be dreaming. Awake people did do such things._

'_Hey!' A voice from below cut through his musings. He looked around._

'_Hey!' The voice came again, sounding irate. A memory tugged at Harry, he knew that voice._

'_My old man?' He thought incredulously. As he cast around, he noticed a platform of blue looking oddly out of place in the ruins of the once great city. On it stood a familiar figure. A man Harry had not seen in ten years and would have quite happily never seen again. His father._

_He floated downward in the air, trying to force himself awake at the same time, but when he got closer to the platform, the figure shrunk and turned into himself, aged seven. Harry stared at small figure and suddenly felt very lonely. And for the second time, that day, the world went white._


	3. Captured

Hey, I started school today, so I won't update my stories much anytime. I really like Al Bhed, if you're wondering the Harry Potter 'Rikku' is Ginny, that you're right. Snape is Auron's character, sorry that I didn't any of James' real friends.

Chapter 3 Captured

Upon waking this time, Harry was, thankfully, not assaulted by pain but rather the cold. After lying with his eyes closed for a moment in the intense cold, he wondered which was worse. He opened his eyes and was met with a rather dismal sight. He lay half in, half out of the freezing water of what appeared to a lake. Here and there, sticking out of the water, were ancient looking ruins. He was lying face down on one of these ruins, his legs going numb in the freezing water. The sky above him was overcast, the day grew and the air was hung with mist.

Raising his head, he propped himself up on his elbows, shivering convulsively. Above him, on the rock, a colorful bird groomed itself, either not noticing or completely ignoring him. Harry stared at it for a moment, then looked to the side and called out, "Anybody there?"

The bird continued to ignore him and Harry suddenly remembered something or someone. "Snape!" he called but received no answer. He wondered where the man was, but seeing as he was a little less than pleased with the man in red, he didn't wonder for long. Instead he lost his temper and yelled, "HHHEEEYYY!" Afterward he felt a bit stupid.

Heaving himself to his feet, Harry squinted around. To the north, there appeared to be a large building and as he watched the colorful bird took flight and flew toward it, joining a flock, which appeared being flying around the spire of the old building. Not knowing what else to do and knowing that he needed some sort of shelter before he froze to death, Harry reluctantly slipped into the mucky water and swam toward the building which he had come to think as a temple.

As he swam, he could see, from the ruins, below the water, that the area must have been once been dry and the temple must have submerged after some sort of earthquake. When he reached some half submerged steps, which led up to a path, his theory was confirmed. Thankful to be out of the water, Harry walked slowly the walkway, starting up at the temple, which towered above him at the end of the walkway.

The path led to a narrow bridge of stone, Harry hesitated before stepping onto it. He was well aware that he could well be in a dangerous situation, remembering the Sinspawn from the attack on Gryffindor. The blitzer mused at how the entire event felt a world away already. His thoughts led him to wonder what he would find when he got back, if he got back.

Abruptly, Harry looked down at water below, his thoughts disturbed by movement in the water. As he watched, he saw the movement again, something streaking through the water at fast speed. It looked almost like a very large fish and Harry turned away to hurry to the other side of the bridge and solid ground.

Before he could take even one step, however, the stone bridge shook with a jolt and crumbled beneath his feet. Harry grasped ineffectively at the air as he fell into the water barely missing being concussed by the falling stone. Quickly he kicked for the surface and looked around uneasily. The fish he had seen could never have caused the bridge fall so there had to be something else in the water. Something bigger.

Instantly, he stuck out for the nearest chunk of stone that would serve as shore but before he was halfway there, the currents in the water changed dramatically. This could only mean that something large was behind him pushing the water before it much like a ship would. Ducking his head underwater for a better view, Harry saw exactly what it was.

On the bottom of the lake, a large fish type creature with two large fins and protruding stomach swam with astonishing speed toward him.

'Whoa', Harry thought and resurfaced. Casting around, he spotted a hole in the side of the temple, which would allow him access but not something with the bulk of the monster chasing him. Using all his strength, Harry swam as fast as he could toward the opening. Behind him the monster was closing the distant fast.

Just as he began to feel the suck and pull of the giant's month opening inches from his feet, he reached the opening and pulled himself through with a mental sigh of relief. The monster's momentum sent him crashing into the opening and sent a wave of water into the holes. The strong current pushed Harry further into the tunnel and out into a small flooded area of the inner temple where he fetched with a jarring thud against the wall.

Harry watched the tunnel warily, but the impact of the water the monster had caused it to collapse in on itself, keeping the monsters from the lake out. It also meant that Harry had no choice but to find another exit. Heaving a heavy sigh and feeling the exertion of the chase in every muscle, he hauled himself to his feet. The room he had ended up in was very old and half broken down from age and what ever catastrophe had submerged the temple in the first place. The water erosion of many years had worn the creaks down and settled the debris to such an extent that Harry felt the temple was in no danger of falling down around his ears.

On the other side of the room was a flight of creaked steps leading to the only exit but the exit appeared to be blocked. Harry grumbled under his breath and half-heartedly attempted to push the rock out of the way. To his surprise, it fell away easily clearing the exit. Feeling that perhaps his luck was changing, Harry stepped through the opening.

At first, he thought, he was outside again, but then he realized he had entered a gallery of sorts. It was vast with the second and third story balconies lining the walls and the roof was partially missing, allowing rain and water to fall in. To one side of the circular area was a large stone statue of some fanged creature. Here and there were old pots with long since atrophied brunches of flowers. The temple, in its day, would have been quite a sight to see. It wasn't the best shelter but it would have to do.

In the centre of the gallery, Harry was surprised to find the remains of an old campfire. Too old to suggest there might be someone else around but the half brunt wood was dry and that was all that mattered to him. Using one of the wilted flowers and two stones, he quickly got a fire going, surprising him at his aptitude at it. As he warmed himself, he remembered Snape insisting he learn such things and his own disdain at them. Now he was glad.

He scowled briefly as he thought of Snape. He shouldn't have been surprised at his actions, the man in red had always been strange in that way, but he still thought he owned him an explanation. He wondered for the second time where Snape was and hoped, despite his thoughts to the contrary, that nothing had happened to him.

_Besides_, Harry thought with a smirk, _He's not getting any younger._

He scooted a little closer to the fire and stretched out on the ground, trying to ease the ache in his back and legs. Trying to ignore the rumbling in his stomach, he let his thoughts wander and despite his immediate situation relaxed enough to drift into a light sleep.

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_Harry stood in his living room, seething with anger. He had done it again. Every time they played the game to commemorate the death of his father, he let his anger at his father effect his performance but this time was different. This time it had cost the Lions the game._

_He looked up abruptly as someone entered through the front door and regarded him indifferently._

"_What do you want?" Harry demanded derisively._

"_It was a bad call," Snape told him as he walked into the lounge. "Your team lost because of you."_

_Harry scowled, "You came to say that?"_

_Snape's face changed slightly. "It's been ten years," he looked at Harry with a ghost of a smile. "I thought you'd be crying."_

_Harry snorted and made an impatient gesture, "Who, me?"_

_Snape gave him an unreadable look and walked away. Harry looked away in irritation and caught sight of the other person in the room. Next to him stood the mysterious boy in the purple hooded top. Small blue lights swirled around him._

"_You cried," the boy said softly._

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Harry jerked and shivered. He sat up and looked around warily, wondering how long he had been asleep. Hugging his knees against the cold, he found saw the reason why it suddenly felt colder. The fire was all but out.

"Hey, wait! Wait! Don't go out on me," he said, blowing on the dwindling fire. "Just hold on, I'll get more wood!" He stood and cast around frantically for more dry wood or at least kindling. It was then he realized, with a sickening jolt, he was not alone.

Above him, on the first floor balcony, a large creature clung to the stone railing, watching him with glowing red eyes. It snapped its front claws, which were more like blades and leapt into the centre of the room. Landing directly on the dying fire, it scattered wood and embers around the cold floor as it snapped its claws at Harry.

Harry gritted his teeth and balled his fists, but without a weapon, tried and hungry, he knew he was no match for the bug like creature. He did not, however, intend to go without a fight, but before the creature could attack, the side of the gallery exploded, or that's what it felt like to Harry. He shielded his eyes from the initial shockwave and looked warily to see what was coming next.

To his surprise, a bunch of people stood in what had once been a sealed doorway, but was now a huge hole in the wall. The people, who were dressed in a practical tool belt leather kind of way, hefted their guns and pointed them not only at the bug creature but Harry as well. The blitzer thought this was a bit rich considering he clearly presented no threat.

Someone wearing a red suit and a pair of goggles stepped forward. The woman…No, Harry thought, girl…adjusted her gloves and after giving him an appraising look threw something at the creature. Harry, who didn't know what exactly it was, still recognized a weapon when he saw one. He wisely stepped back a few paces.

The small green orb struck the creature on the head and fell to the ground, skittered across the ground a short distance and stopped between the creature's back legs. The bug creature looked between its legs at the object then back up at the girl who had thrown it, then exploded.

By this time, Harry had become quite used to things exploding around him and barely flinched as bits of the bug creature fell through the air and landed all around the gallery. The chucks of the creature's body dissipated into swirling blue lights and drifted away. Harry heaved a sigh of relief, "Whew, that was close," he said cheerfully hoping like hell that the people were on his sides.

The girl nodded at the other men and one of them swiftly stepped forward and grabbed Harry by the hair. The blitzer yelped then yelled, "Hey, lemme go!"

The other men surrounded him, training their guns on his chest and head. Harry quieted down considerably.

"_Fryd ec drec_?" one of the men said in what were not friendly tones. Harry frowned as he realized he couldn't what was being said.

"_Y _fiend," another of the men said. "_Eh risyh teckieca._"

"_Oac! Ed ec cu!_" the man who said this pulled out a knife and held it to Harry's throat, who tried not to breath. "_Fa germn ed_?"

The girl hurried forward and held up a hand. "_Fryd_," her urgency made Harry worry what had been planned for him, "_Fryd ey ed ec risyh_?"

The man with the knife gestured impatiently with the blade. "_Drao yna dra cysa eh taydr_," he pointed out.

The girl shook her head and said in one of the tones used to being obeyed, "_E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk ed fedr ic_!" She walked up to Harry and the man behind him released his hair. He looked at her suspiciously.

The girl put her head with his and said softly in his ear, "_Cunno_," before kneeing him in the stomach. As Harry fell to his knees and darkness overtook his mind, he wondered where he wake up this time.


	4. The Al Bhed

Finally, chapter 4 is done! A lot has happened in the past few days, so I wasn't able write this story much. Recently, I'm starting the fifth chapter. I'm so bad not making Ron and Ginny related in this story. Al Bhed talk is in italic, normal talk is regular. SlytherinBeauty, my half-Al Bhed summoner, I'm working on my best on this story. Yes, I did the translate english to Al Bhed thing. If I was a real Al Bhed, it would be so cool.

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Chapter 4 The Al Bhed 

Harry opened his eyes and was pleased to find he was neither cold or in pain. Well, much pain anyways. He could, however, smell rubber. Strongly. It didn't take him long to figure out he was lying on a rubber matting on a deck of a strange looking ship. He could hear the water lapping the sides of the boat and he realized he had been in were not in a lake but in the middle of the ocean.

He didn't cherish the idea of being stranded on a ship in the middle of nowhere with the strange people from the temple. As least, he mused, they hadn't blown him up. Raising his head, he saw two of the strangely dressed men standing above him holding guns. When he tried to stand one of them turned and pushed him roughly back down.

"_Ced, lybdeja!_" the man barked.

Harry sat with a thump. "Hey, that hurt," he said angrily.

The other man turned around as well and spanned, "_Hu sujehk, rayn?_" He pointed his rifle at Harry.

The blitzer got the point. "Whoa, okay," he placated.

The two guards turned away abruptly and looked toward a hatchway, which had started to rise slowly. When it was fully open, two people stepped through, one was the girl from the temple, the other was a taller man with red Mohawk. His lower arms and chest were covered in blue tattoos. He wore a pair of loose fitting dungarees and his eyes were covered by a pair of goggles.

As they approached, the tattooed gestured toward Harry and said something in their language, "_Caynlr res!_"

At his words, the girl stepped behind him and hauled upright by one of his arms, which she then proceeded to twist behind incapacitating him. Harry gritted his teeth but refused to say a word of complaint.

The man with the Mohawk then pantomimed a swimming action and held out a pair of goggles. He seemed to be expecting Harry to do something but the blitzer merely raised an eyebrow and said, "Right, whatever."

The man appeared to become irritated and held out the goggles once more. "_To oui hub cbayg_?" he demanded.

Harry felt himself growing anger again. "I said I don't understand," he snapped.

One of his guards jumped forward and aimed his rifle at Harry's heart. The blitzer gave him a defiant look.

"_Ehcumahla,_" the man said harshly.

The girl holding his arms held up a hand. "_Fyed,_" she said sternly. "He said you can stay if you make yourself useful," she said to Harry who almost fell over in shock.

"You…you understand me?" he asked incredulously.

The jumpy guard elbowed him in the back, perceiving his question as cheek.

"Alright," Harry said in exasperation. "I'll work."

The girl released his arm and gave him an encouraging smile. "We found some ancient ruins right beneath us," she told him. "The ruins are some sort of ancient machina but it's not active. There should be some power left so our job is go down there and active it. Then we can salvage the big prize," she added cheerfully.

Harry was curious despite his irritation. "What's the big prize?" he wanted to know.

The girl gave him a peculiar look. "Well we won't know until we look, will we?" she said.

Harry raised an eyebrow but murmured in agreement.

"Alright then," the girl said. "Let's go to work."

"Roger!" Harry replied, giving her a thumbs-up.

One of the guards reluctantly gave him a sword to use during the job but was clearly not happy about it. Harry took the old short sword and wondered what had happened to the sword that his father supposedly left for him. The girl in the red wetsuit tried offering him the pair of goggles again but he said it wasn't necessary, then dived over the side into the icy ocean. Her surprise was apparent but she quickly followed him into the water.

"The ruins should be directly below us," the girl said but she looked worried. "Are you sure you'll manage?"

Harry gave a smirk, "Are you sure you will?" He returned before diving and striking out toward the ocean floor without bothering to see if the girl was following or not. He had no doubt of it, as a Blitzball player, he could manage the swim to the bottom as well as hold his breathe long enough for salvaging they had to do. As he began to swim strongly toward the ruins he saw the girl beside him keeping level easily.

The people who had picked him up were clearly not Blitzball players but they had a knowledge of water and working in it that would rival any player's. The young girl had no trouble keeping up with him as he swam downward toward the ancient ruins and seemed able to hold her breath as long if not longer than him.

The water beneath the ship was not extremely deep but certainly too deep for an average person to reach the bottom. As Harry and his companion reached the ruins they entered through one of the doors, which seemed to be permanently rusted open.

Inside the ruins, which looked technologically advanced in comparison to the ruins were Harry had met the strange people, lights along the wall glowed a dim red giving the water logged room an eerie feel. The girl immediately went to a control panel to one side of the small room, which opened the next door.

The next door opened into a much larger room in the centre of which was suspended some sort of energy core. The core itself was dormant but its control panel flickered with inconsistent power. His companion gave him a thumbs up and went to the panel.

As she worked at the controls trying to restore power to the core and hopefully reveal exactly what the ruins were, Harry cast a wary eye around the room. The dim red light did little to illuminate the dark shadows around the sides of the room and he wondered not for the first time what they held. Ever since encountering the Sinspawn in Gryffindor Harry had come to expect some sort of attack around every corner and with good reason.

A low rumble from the centre of the room interrupted his thoughts and as he looked he saw the core begin to dim a blue light. The lights around the room changed from red to white and brightened considerably as they received more power from the core. Around the waterlogged room more control panels started to light up and screens flickered to life.

The sudden light was dimmed somewhat by the water but it was still bright enough make Harry blink a few times to adjust his eyes. He grinned at his companion but instead of smiling back the girl had a horrified look on her face. She also wasn't looking at him but over his shoulder. Harry thought back to the shadows.

He spun around and saw what made the girl react as she had. In the corner of the room, now awakened by the bright light, was an octopus. Harry knew what an octopus looked like that's how he knew what it was but they weren't, to his knowledge, supposed to be three times as tall and four times as wide as a human. As he gripped his sword in preparation for the impending attack an object sailed past his right shoulder and struck the monster on the head. Just before it exploded Harry realized the same kind of explosive the girl had used on the bug creature at the temple.

Unfortunately this creature was substantially bigger than the monster from the temple and he shrugged of the blast easily. Seeing as the giant octopus looked more infuriated than before Harry gripped his sword hilt with both hands and kicked off with his legs against the nearest control penal. As he shot forwards in the waters he directed himself under the monster and as he passed twisted in the water so he faced upward. Lashing out his sword he felt a satisfying connection with the octopus's flesh as he cut off one of its tentacles. The roar the creature emitted in pain was loud enough to be heard even under water. Harry quickly swam out from underneath the thrashing tentacles.

Not daring to use another grenade his companion had drawn two diving knives and was slashing at the top of the creature's head. Harry swam upward quick to join her but as he hacked at the top of the creature's head he realized the sword or the knives would never penetrate its thick hide. With a sixth sense born of playing blitzball for years Harry felt a movement in the water that warned him a tentacle was lashing out directly toward him. Spinning in the water he avoided it easily and saw with some satisfaction the look of shock on the girl's face.

Harry turned the sword in his hands and using all his strength brought the blade point first downward in the octopus's head. This had the desired affect and the blade penetrated the rubbery skin and went halfway into the creature's head. As it died the octopus thrashed wildly flinging the girl, who had attached herself to its head, and Harry away through the water. Harry righted himself with a grin and did a lazy back flip in the water in celebration. His companion punched the water with a fist and gave him a smile. The octopus's body dissolved into tiny blue lights, which swirled away and disappeared.

After exploring the ruins more thoroughly they discovered it to be some sort of compound. At the very end of what looked like an old hanger they found the 'big prize'. The girl seemed especially excited by their find but Harry struggled to find out what exactly it was. It appeared to be some sort of vessel but it was huge.

As they returned to the ship Harry caught bits of the crew's convention and although he couldn't understand what they were saying he thought he heard the word 'Airship'. He questioned the girl in the red wetsuit about it.

"That's right," she said as she took his sword from him with an apologetic look. "It needs a lot of work but who knows it might even fly one day." She gave him a sky grin then hurried inside after the other crewmembers. He was about to follow but one of the men, which he recognized as one of his guards, turned and shoved him roughly on the shoulder.

"_Oui, uidceta!_" he said harshly before walking inside and closing the hatchway behind him.

"Hey," Harry said indignantly. "I helped out, didn't I?"

He gave a growl of frustration as he was ignored and walked away from the hatch towards a pile of creates lashed down on the dock. With a sigh he sat down and slumped against one of them. He was tired, hungry, and was wondering when if ever he was going to get home. The ship didn't seem to be very close to land and for all he knew he could be stuck out in the middle of the ocean for months in essence a prisoner of the strange people. He didn't cherish the thought.

Before long the hatchway reopened and Harry looked up expecting a full armored guard coming to make sure he didn't steal the fittings but instead the young girl in the red suit came out holding a tray of food. He gave her a wary look as she came forward and set the tray down in front of him.

He looked down at the food and his hungry overrode his pride. "Whoa," he said. "Right on."

The girl watched with unabashed interest as he wolfed down his food then, when he was done, she stood and wandered to the railing. Harry gave a satisfied sigh, stood and stretched. The girl leaned against the railing and gave him an appraising look, which he returned.

"Um," he started hesitantly under the girl's slightly unnerving gaze. "What's your name?"

"Ginny," she told him.

Harry chuckled. "You know you could have saved us a lot of trouble if you said you'd could understand earlier," he said.

Ginny gave a lopsided grin, "Yeah, but everyone thought _oui_ was a fiend."

Harry frowned. "We?" he repeated.

"Oh, _oui _means you," Ginny explained.

Harry raised an eyebrow then shook his head with a sigh. "Who are you guys anyways?" he asked.

"We're Al Bled," Ginny cocked her head, "Can't you tell? Wait." She looked suspicious suddenly. "You're not an Al Bhed hater, are you?"

Harry looked blank, "I don't even know what an Al Bhed is."

This seemed to confuse Ginny. "Where are you from?" she asked.

"Gryffindor, one of the great cities," Harry told her. "I'm a blitzball player. Star of the Gryffindor Lions." He added with an expectant smirk.

Ginny did not, as the blitzer had expected, look impressed but rather worried. "Did you hit your head or something?" she asked with a frown.

Harry gave a wary look. "Er, you guys hit me," he reminded her.

"Oh, right," Ginny looked a bit embarrassed. "Do you remember anything before that?"

Harry looked at her for a moment than thought, _what the hell?_ He told everything there was to tell. About Gryffindor, his life there, the other great cities, and Sin's attack. He even told her about Snape and himself being engulfed in the strange light just before he had woken up in the ruins. Abruptly, he stopped; getting the feeling he had said something wrong.

"Did I…say something funny?" he wanted to know.

Ginny didn't meet his eye. "You were near Sin," she said solemnly.

Harry narrowed his eyes at her but before he could say anything she continued in brighter tones, "Don't worry, you'll be better in no time. They say your heads gets funny when Sin is near so maybe you just had some kind of dream."

Harry took a moment to digest this. "You mean I'm sick," he said carefully.

Ginny nodded. "Because of Sin's toxin, yeah."

"You sure?" Harry didn't like the sound of this toxin.

"Yeah," Ginny looked at him. "There are no great cities anymore; Sin destroyed them a thousand years ago. So…no one plays Blitzball."

Harry stared at her. "A thousand years ago?" he whispered half to himself. He raised his voice sharply. "But I saw Sin attack Gryffindor," he maintained. "You're saying that happened a thousand years ago?"

"Yes," Ginny said quietly. "But you can't have seen it, you just think you did just like you think you live there."

"I do," Harry snapped.

Ginny gave him a slightly pitying look and Harry turned away in frustration. Part of him was annoyed at his predicament and the fact Ginny wouldn't believe him but another part was wondering if the Al Bhed girl was right. What if what he thought was his life, the past seventeen years, was all some sort of toxin-induced dream?

"You said," Ginny said hesitantly, "You play Blitzball?"

Harry turned to look at her trying to keep the worry from his face.

"You know," Ginny continued sounding thoughtful. "You should go to Raven Luca. Someone might know who you are or you might find someone you recognize."

Harry contemplated reminding the girl he exactly knew who he was but realized he'd only be wasting his time. "Raven Luca?" he questioned instead.

Ginny groaned and wrung her hands a bit while Harry turned away again. After a second he felt Ginny tap him on the shoulder and he gave her a sidelong look.

"Okay leave it to me," she said cheerfully. "I'll get you to get Raven Luca. Promise!"

Harry hesitated.

"You'd rather stay here?" Ginny asked.

"No," Harry answered quickly.

"Okay, wait here. I'll go tell this to the others," she turned to go then hesitated. "Oh, one more thing. Don't tell people you're from Gryffindor okay." She told him sounding serious. "Merlin says it's a holy place, you might upset someone."

Harry nodded glumly and she walked back to the hatchway, which opened for her as she approached. Harry turned and looked over the dark, endless sea. He wondered who Merlin was and where Raven Luca was and whether what Ginny had said was true. Was he loosing his mind or did Sin somehow bring him a thousand years in the future? And if that was true did that mean that Sin's attack had completely destroyed his home? Was there no going back even if he could?

Harry took his shook angrily; he refused to believe it and took his frustration out on the crates, kicking them furiously. A split second later he jumped back in alarm as the entire ship began to shake. For a second he thought he had done it but at that moment the water not far from the ship erupted upward and the hatchway opened as the Al Bhed crew ran on the dock, armed to the gills.

"SIN!" one of them yelled and Harry turned to the wave of water in alarm.

"Sin _ec lusa,_" another cried.

"_Ihtan ic! Ihtan ic!_" a third yelled hanging over the railing for a better view. Harry also searched the water for sign for the monster but the water had grown deceptively calm again. Harry straightened and turned around, feeling the same sense of dread he had felt before his last encounter with Sin. The water around the ship suddenly and forced erupted upward washing over the deck in waves.

Harry, caught unawares, tried to grab hold of the railing again but the strong currents carried him easily to the edge of the deck and off the side. As he fell the blitzer saw a fleeting glimpse of Ginny hanging over the railing shouting something at him but a second later the ocean swallowed him up and his world turned rather brilliant shade of blue.


	5. Griffin BesaidEnter Ron

Chapter 5 and the introduction of Ron as Wakka!!!! This chapter means a lot to me, 'cause I'm Christian, when Ron talks about what happens a thousand years ago. He's right, we always need to repent for our sins. For note, the villages and towns in this world are after the four great cities. Enjoy!!!!!!!

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Chapter 5 Griffin Besaid-Enter Blitzball Captain Ron 

Harry opened his eyes and stared at the blue sky. Here and there wispy clouds hung in perfect suspension and seagulls drifted lazily on an updraft. The sun felt warm on his face and the water he was floating in was a comfortable temperature.

_Good grief,_ Harry thought. _I've died and gone to heaven._ Straightened in the water he looked around in wonder at the crystal water and the purely sand bottom a few meters from his feet. Suddenly his heart gave a lurch making him feel as so he missed a step going downstairs.

"Ginny," he murmured in remembrance than called in a louder voice. "Ginny!"

He squinted at the water around him as he treaded water but before he could turn something rebounded off the back of his head causing his face to be dunked in the water briefly. He gave an indignant squawk and turned around with an anger frown. His frown melted away as he noticed, for the first time, a beach not far from him lined with a half a dozen or so people all dressed in bright yellow outfits.

He stared at them for a moment and they squinted back at him, then the object, which had assaulted him earlier floated into view. Harry grabbed the familiar blue ball with a shout with joy, "Blitzball!"

"Heeeey," one of the people on the beach called out to him. "You okay?"

Harry grinned and waved back. "Heeeey," he called. Leaving the ball floating on the surface Harry duck dived beneath then pushed off the sandy bottom shooting himself out of the water and heading the all upward. As both he and the ball were a few meters in the air Harry did a complicated twist and volleyed the ball hard with his foot. As he dived back into the water, the Blitzball sped across the water, skimming the surface and barely missed the face of the man who had called to him.

The man, who had red hair and wore a blue headband, grinned in appreciation and instead of being angry. "Whoa," he said with a laugh.

Harry made his way to shore climbing the beach slowly as the physical movement reminding him the events that had led to being washed ashore at this beach. The group of people who were all men and all wore identical outfits watched him warily. They were clearly a Blitzball team and Harry counted five of them including the one who called to him.

The man with red hair had been talking to some other people further up the beach but now turned back to the group. For a moment he stared in surprise at Harry but quickly covered it up and gave a grin. He was dressed slightly differently to the other players and Harry assumed he was the captain.

"You wanna try that move one more time?" the captain asked with a slightly awed look on his face.

Harry obliged readily, glad to have found somebody with whom he shared common ground. Perhaps, he thought, things were looking up.

The man with red hair looked even more impressed as he landed back on the ground having sent the blitzball flying across the water once more.

"You're no amateur," the captain said. "Who you play for?"

Harry gave a jaunty grin. "The Gryffindor Lions," he told them then immediately wished he hadn't. A murmur spread the small group and the captain gave him a strange look.

"What's team you say again?" he asked with a slightly suspicious tone.

"Er," Harry hurried to make amends. "I mean…forget that. I got too close to Sin," he told them using Ginny's excuse. "So I don't know what this place is or even where I come from." He tried to sound glum. It wasn't hard.

The captain looked grave. "But you're still alive," he said sagely. "Praise to be Merlin."

Harry recognized the name Ginny had used as well and was about to ask who Merlin was when all the Blitzball players did the Blitzball gesture of victory. Harry frowned and wondered why. He supposed in a way they saw his still being alive as a kind of victory.

"All right back to practice," the captain told his players. "I'm Ron," he told Harry grasping his hand briefly. "Coach and captain of the Griffin Besaid Aurochs, brudda."

"Harry," the black player replied. "So this is Griffin Besaid then?" he asked.

"Yep. Griffin Besaid Island," Ron told him as he tossed the blitzball he was carrying to one of the other players.

Harry nodded then grimaced as his stomach rumbled loudly. The meal on the Al Bhed ship seemed like an age ago. Ron gave a grin.

"You hungry?" he asked unnecessarily. "All right back to the village, we'll get you something." Harry nodded and they started up the beach but they reached the path that led into the dense foliage of the island Harry hesitated.

Ron looked at him curiously and Harry looked a little uncomfortable. "It's true Gryffindor and three other cities were destroyed right," he asked almost afraid of what the answer would be. "A thousand years ago?"

Ron gave him a curious look. "Long time ago there was a whole long of large cities, four great ones, in Spira. Big cities with machina-machines- to run 'em. Four with a lot of machina in 'em were known as the great cities. So people played all day and let the machina do the work and then, well, take a look." Ron indicated the ruins that dotted the island here and there. Harry had hitherto not noticed them.

"Sin came," Ron continued staring at the ruins with a deep frown. "And destroyed the machina cities and the four cities along with 'em. Yeah, that was a thousand years ago." He looked at Harry. "Just like you said. If you ask me Sin's our punishment for letting things get out of hand. What gets me though is we got to suffer for what some goofballs did way back when." The red haired blitzer sounded bitter for a moment but quickly masked it. "Course we must always repent for our sins, that's important."

Harry grunted noncommittally but Ron didn't seem to notice. "Just hard to keep at it sometimes, you know," he confided.

Harry hung his head. It was true but what did it mean for him? For the first time since waking up in the ocean ruins he wished Snape was there.

Ron laughed abruptly. "But you from the Gryffindor Lions," he said. "That was a good one."

Harry looked away and Ron punched him light-heartedly on the arm. "Hey I'm not saying that team never existed, ya?" he said. "But you gotta figure a team living in luxury like that'd be pretty soft, eh?"

Harry shrugged but still avoided Ron eye. He knew the Blitzball captain was trying to cheer him up but he couldn't help thinking everything that had happened started with Sin. Perhaps if he could find Sin again he could find a way home. He ignored the nagging voice in his head that told him there might not be a home go back to or that his home might have been a fragment of his imagination.

Ron turned back up the path. "It's this way," he called back and after a moment Harry followed him.

The two of them followed the winding path up a step hill, which led to a more level path cut into the side of a cliff. The path was shaded and halfway across it a bridge had been built to cover a river, which ran down the side of the cliff. Harry had never seen so much beauty not born of technology before.

As they walked Ron gave Harry a sidelong look. "Got a favor to ask you," he said forthrightly.

Harry smirked. He had expected this. "You want me on your team right," he said.

Ron stopped walking and turned to him his face lit up. "There's a major blitzball tournament coming up. All the teams in Spira'll be there. It's so huge I'm sure someone there will recognize you," he said as if it made the all sense in the world. "Then you can go back to your old team, ya? It'll be fun." He added to seal the deal.

Harry felt a feeling of loss as he was reminded of his old team but also felt guilty at having to deny remembering. He wished he could tell Ron about them and his worries of his home. He sighed. "Sure thing," he said instead and started walking again.

Ron could hardly contain his excitement. "Dude! Our team is gonna rock, ya?" he said before following.

Before long the path led to a small outcropping, which overlooked a small village. Harry was surprised at how small the village was. Barely more than a few nuts surrounding one large building. The blitzer could hardly mistake it for anything other than it was. A temple. He frowned as he contemplated the religious world he had found himself in.

"This is where I was born," Ron told him pointing to the village. "I started blitz when I was five, joined the Aurochs at thirteen, ten years ago. Ten years." He sighed. "And we never won a game. Well, after last year's tournament I quit. Time seemed right."

Harry rubbed his stomach as it growled again but Ron was staring into memory and didn't notice.

"So after quitting I got this new job ya?" he continued started down the hill toward the hill. "But every time my mind wandered. I thought about the game."

"Ten years without a win'll do that," Harry told him.

Ron looked at him as they walked, "My first match last year was my big chance but something else on my mind." His voice held an emotion Harry couldn't identify. "I couldn't focus," the red haired blitzer added softly.

"Nice excuse," Harry said bluntly.

Ron gave a shrug.

"So you want to win the next tournament, go out with a bang?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded.

"Well what's our goal?" Harry asked expectedly, folding his arms.

Ron shrugged again. "I don't care how we do, long as we play our best," he said. "We give it our all I can walk away happy."

Harry stopped walking, his mouth dropped open. "No," he said firmly. "When I say what's our goal, you say 'Victory!'. When you play in a Blitzball tournament you play to win."

Ron looked confused for a moment than sceptical. "Victory? You serious?" he said.

Harry gave a firm nod. Ron still looked sceptical and Harry wondered just how bad the Aurochs really were. They continued down toward the village but as they approached the gates the two men Harry had seen Ron taking to on the beach hurried toward them.

"Ah," the one who wore purple pants and had red hair. "The one from the sea." He gave Harry an odd look, which the blitzer returned defiantly. He was a little tired of being stared at.

The second man, same age with red hair also and scar on his cheek, said, "Be on guard, there are fiends on the road today." The man sounded overly serious.

"After surviving your run in with Sin, it would be a shame if something happened now," the red haired man said. He and his companion turned and walked back into the village.

Harry started after wondering how they knew about his encounter with Sin, he turned to Ron, "Who are they?"

"My brothers, Fred and George," Ron told him. "Crusaders."

Harry started to nod then stopped. "Crews of what?" he said in confusion.

Ron gave a sidelong look. "What you forget that too?"

Harry looked evasive.

"Hey, sorry," Ron said interpreting Harry's silence as embarrassment. "Don't worry about it, I'll help you out."

Harry smiled. "Cool," he said sincerely. "And in return, come tournament time, I'll make sure we take the cup."

"Cool," Ron echoed. "Oh about the crusaders, you can ask them yourself. They've got a lodge in the village."

As they entered the village gates Harry was again struck by how small it was. The villagers wandering around gave him a curious looks but soon went back to their tasks and chores. The entire place looked almost primitive to Harry including the clothes the people wore.

"Griffin Besaid Village," Ron said proudly clapping him in the shoulder, he pointed to one of the huts. "We'll get you some food over there later, but first take a look around. The crusader's lodge is over yonder." He pointed out a another hut. "Maybe you should go see the temple summoner as well."

Ron started to walk away but stopped and turned back suddenly. "Oh yeah," he said. "Over here." He indicated Harry should follow him. The blitzer followed him around the corner of the perimeter wall.

Harry was about to ask what the temple summoner was when Ron said, in a slightly worried tone, "You do remember the prayer right?"

Harry almost laughed but then caught himself at the look on Blitzball captain's face. He'd prayed in his life but Ron wouldn't know that.

"I don't remember," he said falling back on the toxic excuse.

"Man, that's like the basics of the basics," Ron said. "All right I'll show you."

Harry nodded and then stared in disbelief as Ron did the Blitzball gesture of victory. Ron looked at him expectantly.

"That's a prayer, is it?" Harry asked looking put upon.

Ron nodded. "Go ahead, try it," he instructed.

Harry obligingly did the gesture making sure to look like he did not remember how it went. He felt stupid pretending to be something he wasn't.

"Not bad," Ron told him. "Okay, now go present yourself to the temple summoner."

Harry looked at his hands as Ron walked away again missing his opportunity for questions. Heaving a sigh he walked around the corner of the wall and into the village once more. Ron had already returned to his hut so Harry was left alone to wander. He carefully avoided talking to too many people as it would only lead to too more questions but instead made his way to the hut Ron had said was Crusader's Lodge.

Upon entering Harry spotted Fred and George seated at a wooden table deep in discussion. The area in by the entrance was filled with tables and a desk behind a young girl sat sorting through papers. Beyond the first area was a curtained off area but Harry could still see it held a dorm type sleeping area. When George, one of the twins stopped him, he immediately looked around and addressed him.

"Hey you," he said. "You were in contact with Sin right?"

Harry nodded slowly wondering what was next but George only looked thoughtful.

"So he can't be far off then," George surmised then looked at Harry suspiciously. "You're not hiding anything are you?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why would I?" he wanted to know.

"If Sin is nearby it'll attack the island for sure but it hasn't yet," Fred explained. "I wonder why?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm sorry but I don't know," he said. "In fact I don't ever know…er, remember what the Crusaders are."

Both the men in front of him looked shocked and George looked worriedly at his companion, "Is Sin's toxic really bad, bro?"

"It does seem rather bad," Fred replied eyeing Harry with interest. "George, tell him who we are."

"Yes, sir," George said immediately leaping to his feet and holding his arm horizontal to his chest, fist clenched, in a kind of salute. The crusader launched into a speech about the history of the faction and it sounded to Harry as though he had recited many times before. He explained the man who had started the Crusaders, Lord Albus and how they used to be called the Crimson Blades. Their only purpose was to fight Sin and protect those threatened by it.

The blitzer interrupted as George got to the part about how long the crusaders had around. "Wait," he said. "You've been fighting Sin for eight hundred years and it's still around?"

The older crusader looked at a loss for words but Fred's frown deepened as he said, "It's not the crusaders job to defeat Sin." He told him, "All we can do is steer Sin away from towns and villages."

Harry gave a nod of comprehension. "Then whose job is it to defeat Sin?" he asked.

Fred and George exchanged a significant look. "We could tell you," the older crusader said. "But I think it would be better for you to try and remember for yourself."

Harry gave a sigh. "Ron said I should go and see…" he hesitated, "Temple Summoner?"

Fred nodded. "A fine idea," he said. "The temple is just up the hill. I'm sure a bit of praying will restore your memory."

* * *

Next chapter introducing Summoner Hermione and the rest of her guardians!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	6. Birth of a New Summoner

For those of you who like Tidus and Yuna's first meeting better than Harry and Hermione's, than read this if you like FF/HP crossovers. Don't mind Sea and Hinata, something happens to them later on which leads to the beginning to the story. I gave Hagrid the Ronso look but changed the fur black. SlytherinBeauty, i'm waiting for your verison of this.

* * *

Chapter 6 Birth of a New Summoner

Harry knew better but he wandered up to the temple anyway thinking the sooner he spoke with the summoner the sooner he would get lunch. The large stone building on the hill was as Harry had thought the temple and people stroll in and out of it constantly. When Harry entered through the narrow door he stopped just within and stared around in wonder.

The interior of the temple was about as foreign as it would get for Harry. He had never seen anything like it. It reminded Harry of the ruins he had woken up in before meeting Al Bhed only run down. Lining the edge of the circular main hall were statues and two larger ones flanked a flight of stairs directly opposite the entrance. Before the statues people knelt and prayed. Harry felt terribly out of place.

He walked up to one of the larger statues and looked at the flight of stairs curiously. At the top of the stairs were double stone doors with strange symbols carved into them. Before he could even think of climbing the stairs a voice came from his left.

"Ten years have passed since Lord Braska became high summoner and finally we receive a statue for our temple," the speaker was an eldery man dressed in long colorful robes. Harry surmised he must be the temple summoner and the statue he was referring to was the one in front of him.

Harry glanced up at the figure who the summoner had referred to as Lord Braska. "What's a temple summoner?" he asked.

The temple hall suddenly echoed with gasps of surprise. The people praying had clearly been shocked by his question and the temple summoner looked surprise as well.

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I got to close to Sin's …uh, toxic," he explained.

The temple summoner nodded in understanding and sympathy and did the prayer gesture, "The summoners are practitioners of a scared art, sworn to protect the people of Merlin. Only a chosen few become summoners, who call forth entities of great power: the Aeons." The summoner looked at him clearly expecting his words would jog Harry's memory.

Harry gave a tight smile but said nothing.

"The Aeons hear our prayers and come down to us," the summoner continued. "They are truly the blessing of Merlin."

Harry didn't quite understand what the man was talking about but he figured that summoners were to be respected, just the same as the temple summoner himself. Harry nodded at the explanation and gave an awkward half bow before leaving the temple.

Outside the temple he felt much better. He had always a problem with religion and worship and inside the temple it had seemed to stifle the air. Religion had been in the minority in Gryffindor if it had existed at all.

Abruptly Harry stopped walking and leaned against one of the pillars by the temple, feeling slightly queasy. Already he was thinking of his home in the past tense. Did he really believe his home gone, destroyed?

A passer-by looked at him curiously. "You okay?" she asked.

"Toxic," Harry said automatically.

The girl nodded in sympathy and said, "You should pray to Merlin," before walking on into the temple.

Harry stared after her for a moment. "So I've been told," he muttered.

He wandered down the hill back to the hut that Ron had disappeared into. Upon entering he was surprised at how spacious it was compared to what the outside suggested. Ron glanced up from the table where he was writing something.

The red haired blitzer frowned. "You don't look so hot," he said pushing the paper aside.

"Yeah, well," Harry shrugged. "I don't feel so hot."

"You should take a nap," Ron said walking over to a pot, which was bubbling on the stove. "Lunch won't ready for a while."

Harry was about to say no, but the offered bed looked awfully comfy and as he flopped onto it with muttered thanks he could feel himself drifting away. He was barely aware of someone entering the tent and distantly he picked up the conversation taking place around him.

"You could at least go see how they're doing," said the new comer.

"We can't interfere, it's a rule," came Ron's indignant voice.

"But it's been nearly…" the voice drifted away as Harry turned over and surrendered himself to the darkness.

* * *

"_It's been nearly a day already," said the man._

_The woman looked worried, on the verge of tears. "Perhaps you could go look for us?" she asked._

"_There are people looking for him now," the man replied before walking away._

"_Thank you," the woman whispered before covering her face with her hands._

"_Who cares whether he comes or not," the young boy demanded._

_The woman, his mother, looked horrified and knelt down before him. "But he might die!" she said._

"_Fine let him," the boy said but his eyes shimmered with tears._

"_Do you…do you hate him so?" his mother wanted to know._

_The boy nodded fervently._

_His mother hesitated then said, "But if he dies you'll never be able to tell him how much you hate him."_

* * *

Harry jerked awake and sat up abruptly. Looking around the hut he realized he was alone. Rubbing his face with his hands he tried to recall what he had been dreaming of but the memories faded even as he tried to grasp them. He stood up. 

"Ron?" he called still half asleep.

He walked outside but saw no sign of the red haired blitzer. Eventually he went to the Crusader's Lodge where they told him Ron had gone to the temple. Upon entering the temple, albeit reluctantly, he saw Ron and the temple summoner standing by the stairs that had intrigued him earlier. They appeared to be arguing about something.

He approached them slowly but as he did the temple summoner turned away with a frustrated look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked.

Ron looked at his distantly. "Hmm?" he said. "Oh, the summoner hasn't returned from the trials."

Harry frowned at his words as if they were gibberish.

"Well, apprentice summoner really," Ron amended half to himself.

"Huh?" Harry said.

Ron looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. "Oh, there's a room in there called Cloister of Trials," he explained in tones which Harry thought was overly simple. "Beyond is where the summoner prays. If the prayer is heard, the apprentice summoner becomes a fully fledged summoner, remember?"

Harry was about to shake his head but rather said, 'So, someone's in there somewhere and they haven't come back out yet, right I got it."

"A day's already gone by," Ron said worriedly not noticing Harry's sarcastic tones.

Harry looked at the door than back at Ron's anxious face. "Is it particularly dangerous in there?" he asked.

"Sometimes, yes," Ron replied.

"Why don't you go in and help?" Harry asked.

"There's already guardians in there," Ron told him. "Besides, it's forbidden," he added.

Harry made a face and started toward the stairs. "But what if something happens?" he wanted to know. "What if the summoner dies?"

"The precepts must be obeyed," the summoner snapped clearly irritated with the questions.

Harry glanced at the elderly man dismissively then said carelessly, "Like I care," before jogging up the stairs and through the stone doors.

At the foot of the stairs the temple summoner gave Ron a reproachful look.

Upon entering the stone doorway Harry realized his actions might have been rash and just a little malicious. Directly before him was a wall on which a faith emblem or glyph was imprinted. It didn't take the blitzer long to realize the room he had entered was the Cloister of Trials Ron had told him about. The trials consisted of a number of puzzles involving three different types of spheres, which had to be placed into different recesses in order to open the way through.

Harry figured out the puzzle easily enough but as soon as he did Ron caught up with him. By his facial expression he was less then happy. "Hey," he called. "What's gotten into you?"

Harry gave him a defiant look but it quickly faded into an embarrassed one. Ron smirked.

"Hey," he said coming to stand to the dark blitzer. "It's okay. Only summoners, apprentice summoners and guardians can enter there. It's a tradition, very important."

Harry was curious. "So what about you?" he asked.

"Me? I'm a guardian," Ron replied.

Harry was about to ask exactly what a guardian was but at that movement the portion of floor they were standing on jerked abruptly then started to sink. Harry started but realized it was some sort of lift taking them downwards. As the circular portion of floor descended Ron explained.

"Summoners go on a pilgrimage to pray at every temple in Spira, Guardians protect them. The guardians are in there now, one of them's a short fuse and who know what the other one's thinking."

The lift came to a gentle stop and Harry could see a dim passageway. From the other side came a faint song and a glow of many torches. Ron hesitated as they stepped off the lift.

"Well now that we've come this far," he said half to himself. "Might as well go all the way." He seemed to be steeling himself for something.

Harry followed him down the passageway, which was short before opening into a dome shaped room lined with torches and with strange patterns and runes on the walls. Across from the door was a flight of stairs with a door at the top that was shaped like a shield. On the stairs sat a woman dressed in a long black with her long dark red hair gathered up in three braids. She was beautiful but extremely severe.

Sitting to her right was a girl with short black hair messing with her fingers nervously. Her snow white eyes were filled with worry and nervous, around her neck was a blue headband with a sliver plate on it. Engraved in it was what looked a like symbol; Harry guessed the Aurochs' team symbol. She was dressed in light and dark colors, on her feet were some sort of sandals. Like the woman, she was beautiful but very shy.

Sitting on the floor to her left was another girl with short blond hair messing with something on a sliver chain. Her light sea green eyes were filled worry and damnation, it was a sliver ring. Harry noticed her outfit, the top half of her body was in blue and the bottom half was in black. She was beautiful but tough.

The two girls didn't notice Ron and Harry walk in, but the woman did.

She gave Ron a scornful look and Harry realized what the blitzball captain had been preparing himself for. "Why are you here?" she demanded. "Didn't think we'd be able to handle it?"

"No it's just…uh," Ron nudged Harry. "See I told you she gets mad easy." But the dark blitzer wasn't listening he was too busy staring at the room's other occupant. To the right of the stairs a figure stood stock still paying the new comers no mind. At seven feet tall the other guardian was clearly not human. His body was covered in black fur and he had the appearance of a lion walking upright. His body was minimally with clothing that made the guardian look exactly like what he was, a warrior. With his arms folded he appeared but Harry could sense a tension in the big muscles of the strange being. A sense of movement stilled that suggested the guardian could pounce at any moment.

Harry looked at the woman as she approached Ron and himself. "Is the summoner alright?" he asked her.

She glanced at his dismissively than did a double take. She stared at him for a moment, a flurry of emotions running across her face. "Who are you," she asked carefully.

Harry was taken aback by her reaction but before he could answer there was a rumble of stone against stone from the other side of the room and the woman in black turned away abruptly to watch the shield shaped door open. Ron also hurried forward in anticipation and Harry assumed they must have been waiting for the summoner to emerge. He also noticed the two girls stood up and turned around to the shield shaped door.

The dark blitzer took a few hesitant steps forward coming to stand on the other side of the woman in black. Both she and Ron were staring at the opening with the utmost concentration and also, to Harry's surprise, worry that he had only seen between family before. Evidently Guardians cared more for their Summoner's than necessity required.

Harry turned his attention to the doorway and could see a figure within but the light coming from within the chamber obscured it into a silhouette. He could see the figure appeared to be short and petite. This did not quite fit with the idea Harry had in head of what summoners were supposed to look like.

As the summoner descended slowly and wearily Harry got a full look at…her.

_A girl? _Harry thought as he stared at her in wonder. The girl was young, dressed in a blue feminine skirt and white kimono top was, in Harry's opinion, extremely beautiful. Her face exuded gentleness and made Harry feel instantly warm and comfortable and welcome. As she came down the stairs she suddenly stumbled and Harry instinctively hurried forward but before he could help her, the black cat-like guardian was at her side holding tenderly in his giant clawed hands.

The summoner recovered quickly indicating to her guardians that she as fine and straightened. Pushing her shoulder length brown hair away from her face she smiled tiredly at those assembled. A pair of deep beautiful chocolate brown eyes starring into Harry's deep emerald green one.

"I've done it," she said her voice echoing her pride. "I have become a summoner!"

As her guardian bustled the exhausted summoner out of the temple Harry trailed along behind feeling a little confused. They were treating her like royal and as soon they exited the Cloister of Trials a group of waiting at the base of the stairs cheered at the sight of her. They all did the prayer gesture, which she returned with a smile.

The dark blitzer lingered for a moment as the town's people followed the summoner and her guardians outside feeling more out of place by the moment just as he walked out of the door; Ron turned and beckoned to him. Harry followed without haste.

Upon exiting the temple he saw the people had gathering in a hasty circle in the centre of the village. In the center of the circle stood the summoner, holding an ornate staff in her hands and looking a little nervous.

"Over here," Ron called as he approached and grabbed him impatiently around the neck where he lingered. Hauling him to the edge of the circle, he said excitedly, "Wait till you see this!"

"I can't see anything!" Harry growled extracting from Ron's grasp.

The older blitzer punched him jestingly on the arm then waved to the summoner, "Ready!"

The girl looked over her shoulder at him and her eyes met Harry's momentarily. She looked confused a moment then appeared to dismiss him with a shake of her head and turned her attention back to the proceedings.

"Okay," she said. Raising her arms above her head she brought them together in a sweeping arc to clasp the staff in both hands in front of her. Then in one fluid movement she shifted her weight forward while sliding her right foot back, one hand holding the staff was flung backward while the other reached forward. Slowly strange lights formed around her and symbols of magic hung in the air. The atmosphere seemed to crackle with magic energy and anticipation alike. Suddenly the aura around the summoner sent four beams of light toward the sky. When they met and struck the cloud cover, the sky swirled and something soared out of the clouds.

Harry took an involuntary step back and stared at the large bird like creature, which soared downward and landed in front of the summoner. Towering over her it gazed at the girl, ignoring the other people who watched it intently. Red and white feathers covered its chest and body, while its leathery wings send the dust on the ground around the town's people like a tornado. The blitzer's first instinct was to yell at her to run but something told him not to. Later he reflected it could have the fact that no one seemed worried. In fact they stared in awe and their face shone with pride. Especially Ron and the guardian in black.

Hesitantly the summoner reached out a hand and stroked the side of the bird like creature's face. Although the claws and beak of the creature looked positively vicious its eyes seemed to exude gentleness. As the girl touched its face the creature closed its eyes briefly and appeared, without actually doing so, to smile.

The summoner turned to her guardian and grinned proudly. Ron and the lady in black hurried to her and hug her in turn. Harry stayed where he was but could see them giving words of encouragement and congratulation. Responding to an unheard signal from the summoner the creature suddenly took flight and after a moment's pause soared away over the heads of the crowd. Harry ducked instinctively then felt a bit foolish as he was the only one who had.

Ron came toward him with a grin and Harry could see the summoner being bustled off again by the guardian in black. Ron noticed his glance and gave him a calculating look for a moment. He grinned again.

"Quite something, ya?" he said.

Harry thought about this. "Something…yes," he agreed. "But what was it exactly?"

"Valefor is an Aeon. Aeons are blessings of Merlin," Ron did the prayer gesture.

"Oh, yes," Harry murmured in recollection.

Ron looked at him closely. "You remembered that?" he asked.

Harry frowned. "No the temple summoner told me about them," he replied. "A bit anyway."

"Oh," Ron looked disappointed. "Anyways, the summoner will rest now after her ordeal, then tonight we will celebrate the birth of a new summoner!"

* * *

R&R, please. 


	7. The Pilgrimage Begins

Finally, chapter 7 where the pilgrimage begins! If you're wondering who 'Lulu' is, I got a review from wofley141 on who my 'Lulu' should be, so I chose Minerva McGongall, and I chose the lovable Hagrid for Kimahri's part. For Weasley family in this story, Ron has Fred, George, and Percy while Ginny has Bill and Charlie. I think of making a story to show how close Sea, Hinata, and Hermione are. 

Chapter 7 The Pilgrimage Begins

The celebrations were not quite like the parties Harry was used back in Gryffindor. The after match celebrations in Gryffindor could go on all night eventually slipping out into the streets and including the entire city's population. The party in the centre of the small village, where the summoner had earlier done her first summoning, was basically a small gathering of villagers chatting around a large bonfire with a few drinks. Harry was not surprised to find they were non-alcoholic.

Ron took the opportunity to introduce Harry to the rest of the Griffin Besaid Aurochs.

"This is Jassu and Botta, they're our defence," Ron said. "And this here is Datto and Letty, Letty is our centre. And lastly Keepa, he's best goalkeeper in Spira, ya?"

Keepa gave a smirk. "In Griffin Besaid at least," he corrected.

The other Aurochs chuckled and Ron continued, "This is Harry, he wanted into the Tournament so, I let him in," he lied blatantly. Harry opened to his mouth to object but Ron stood on meaningfully. The dark blitzer shut his mouth and managed not to wince. The captain was clearly embarrassed about appealing an outsider to help his team win.

"Go on, say hi," Ron shoved him forward.

"Er, hi guys," Harry hesitantly.

The Aurochs nodded in greeting.

"So," Harry tried again. "What's our goal?"

"To do our best!" the Aurochs chorused quite forcefully.

Harry frowned and looked at Ron who shook his head.

"Nope," the captain contradicted his players. "We got a new goal now. Our new goal…is victory! To win every match, to beat each apposing team. To bring the Crystal Cup back to our island. That's all we need to do to win! Easy, ya?"

The aurochs looked at each other muttering "Victory?" a few times. They seemed to like the idea because within seconds they were chanted their new goal in unison, "Victory! Victory! Victory!"

Harry gave a half smile and glanced across the fire to where the summoner was talking to some people. She looked over and noticed his scrutiny; she gave him a smile before turning back. Harry's half smile matured into a full one.

Someone wrapped an arm around Harry's neck; it was the blond girl from the temple. The facial look on her face told Harry she was mad about something. Ron looked a bit embarrassed for not introducing her.

"This is Sea, the best…" he started, but Harry wondered, "Cheerleader?"

"No, she's the cheerleader," Sea said, pointing to the black girl talking with the woman in black. "That's Hinata, both me and Hinata are guardians of the summoner and her best childhood friends. Ron tells me you'll help us win the cup."

"Yup, I was gonna say player," Ron said. "She's on the team."

Harry couldn't believe it, a girl in a team of all men, it nearly reminded him of his team, she let go and walked toward Hinata and the guardian in black. Ron rested his elbow on his shoulder.

"Really got the boys worked up, ya?" Ron said jokingly before joining his players for a drink. Harry took the opportunity to walk around the fire toward the Summoner's group but before he could approach them a little girl standing next to the summoner turned and glared at him. "You're a bad man!" she said loudly at him.

Another of the people also looked at him, an elderly woman. "Stay away from the summoner," she said harshly.

Harry stopped, taken aback. The summoner turned and noticed his approach but before he could turn away she smiled and walked toward him.

"Lady Hermione," an old man called. "Be careful."

The summoner paused. "But it was my fault to begin with," she said to him before approaching Harry who looked comfortable.

"I'm Hermione," she told him.

"Harry," the blitzer said still a little uncertain.

"I know," Hermione said a smile. "Thank you so much for your help earlier."

Harry was surprised. "I'm sorry about that," he said. 'Wasn't that…wasn't I not supposed to…guess I kind of overreacted."

Hermione shook her head. "No I was overconfident," she replied.

There was an uncomfortable pause then Harry said, "I saw that Aeon thing, that's amazing!"

"Really?" Hermione seemed immensely cheered by this prospect. "Do you think I can become high summoner?"

Harry wasn't sure what the difference between a regular summoner and high summoner was but he assumed it was good. He nodded. Just then the little girl who had called him a 'bad man' ran up to Hermione.

"Lady Hermione, come play with me some more," she pleaded. Hermione smiled and nodded, the girl ran off just as suddenly as she had arrived.

The young summoner turned her attention back to Harry. "So, tomorrow then," she said.

Harry frowned. "Tomorrow?" he wanted to know.

"We're going on the same boat aren't we?" she said.

"Oh really?" he said enthusiastically.

Hermione started to walk away then paused, "We can talk more; you can tell me all about Gryffindor."

Watching her retreating back the summoner's words finally reached Harry's brain. How did she know about Gryffindor? Was she mocking him? Before he could mull over it too much Ron stepped up next to him and nudged him with an elbow.

"She's cute, ya?" he said teasingly.

"Yeah," Harry replied cautiously but with a smile he couldn't have stopped for the word.

"Don't get any ideas," Ron said his demeanour suddenly sobering.

Harry bristled at this. "No promises there, big guy," he shot back slightly contemptuously. "Hey, but what if she like comes on to me?" he added challengingly.

Ron shook his head. "Not gonna happen," he said with certainty and Harry wondered for a moment what made him so sure. His tone suggested that it was not open for discussion, so the blitzer let it drop.

"Let me know if you get tired, I had a bed made up for you," Ron said, his cheerfulness returning as quickly as it left.

* * *

Harry lay on the bed in the crusader's lodge that had assigned to him for the night. His thoughts kept him awake even as he could hear the soft breathing of rooms other occupants, clearly asleep. Turning over for umpteenth time he found his thoughts wandering to Hermione. He wondered what Ron had meant about not getting any ideas. They had just talked after all. 

And they talk more tomorrow; Harry was looking forward to it. He wondered where exactly they were going. Obviously on the younger summoner's pilgrimage, which Ron had told him about, but where exactly? His thought briefly turned to Auron as he wondered if he would meet the older man in the next place he visited.

_Visited?_ He thought wryly. _More like flung into._

He must have fallen asleep then because it was the last thought he could recall thinking when he woke up.

* * *

_Harry stood up and found he was standing on a jetty over looking a clear blue sea. Further down the jetty stood a young woman. As he approached she turned, it was Hermione._

"_Where's that boat?" Harry wondered sounding worried without knowing why._

"_Everyone will find us if it doesn't come soon," Hermione said matter-of-factly._

"_You really sure this is okay?" Harry asked._

"_Would you take me to Gryffindor?" she asked in reply._

"_Hey!" called a voice. "You said you'd go with me." Ginny ran up the jetty._

_Harry did not think this was strange but got the feeling he should. "Oh, um…er," he started to say._

"_I thought Ron told you not to get any ideas," Ginny scolded him._

"_He did?" Hermione questioned._

"_Uh," Harry felt panicky for a moment._

"_Hey! Stop dreaming," yelled a third voice._

_Harry spun around, behind him was his father. They were now standing on a beach._

_Anger, sadness, regret, resentment._

"_You with a woman? You can't even catch a ball," James taunted._

_Harry was a child again. He sat down and began to cry._

"_Oh, what's the matter?" James said. "Gonna cry again? Cry, cry. That's the only thing you're good for."_

"_I hate you," Young Harry whispered._

"_Heh?" James didn't hear him. "What'd you say?"_

_Hermione and Ginny stood on either side of James._

"_You have to speak loudly," Hermione told him gently._

"_I hate you!" Harry yelled._

"_Eh?" James was confused._

"_That's the spirit!" Hermione told him._

"_You can do it!" Ginny cheered._

* * *

Harry awoke with a start and sat up in bed with a shout. "I hate you!" he yelled at the dark. Breathing heavily he looked around in confusion then realized where he was, he checked to see if he had woken anyone up. One or two crusader rolled over or grunted but no one was awake. 

Harry rubbed his face tiredly and was about to lie back down when he realized he could hear voices. It sounded like Ron and someone else, a woman.

"He's dead, okay! Dead!" he heard her say forcefully. Slipping out of bed he crept barefooted to the doorway, which was covered by a curtain. Pushing it aside slightly he peeked out.

Standing next to the dwindling were Ron and the black clad guardian. They seemed to be arguing.

"He does look a lot like Percy. I was surprised too when I first saw him but no matter what he looks like he isn't Percy. You shouldn't have brought him here in the first place," she was saying. Harry frowned as he realized they were discussing him.

"Yeah, but Minerva he needed our help," Ron started.

"Excuses again," the guardian named Minerva demanded.

"'Yeah, but…" Ron started half-heartedly.

"That's it," Minerva cut him off her voice laced with emotion. "No more! Enough Ron!"

Minerva turned and stalked off leaving Ron standing alone in the firelight. The captain sighed and rubbed his head, then walked over to the crusader's lodge. Harry backed away from the doorway but didn't return to his bed. He wanted to talk to Ron about what he heard.

When Ron entered the tent and saw him guilt flashed briefly across his face.

"Scary," Harry observed dryly. "So who's Percy?" he added conversationally.

Ron let his shoulder drop warily. "My older brother," he replied. "He looked like you."

"He's dead?" Harry asked quietly.

Ron nodded and sat down at the wooden table near the entrance to the Crusader's Lodge.

"He was with the crusaders when they fought Sin last year," Ron explained. "He didn't make it. I first heard on the day of the tournament."

"So that's why…" Harry trailed off suddenly regretting his brunt remark about Ron making excuses.

"I became a guardian to fight Sin, ya?" Ron started.

"Revenge then?" Harry cut in.

"That's was the idea," Ron agreed. "Now I'm more worried about a stupid game than avenging my brother. Well after next tournament I'll be a guardian fulltime. I know it kinda looks like I'm using you." Ron ducked his head, "But I'm not."

Harry shook his head. "Don't worry, I mean…I owe you a lot. You really helped me out you know," he said. 'What I mean is…thanks, Ron." He held stuck his hand toward the red haired Blitzer meaning to shake his hand.

Ron looked at him for a moment then went to shake his head but at the last moment he pulled away and ducked his head again. "Stop, you're embarrassing me," he said.

Harry laughed and stood. "Better get back to bed," he said heading for the back room.

"What you doing up anyways?" Ron wanted to know.

Harry hesitated. "Bed dream," he answered truthfully after a moment.

Ron nodded understandingly. "Sin's toxic can do that," he said.

Harry sighed.

* * *

Harry woke up and decided that this was without doubt the best awakening he had since arriving in Spira. The reminder of the night he had slept a deep dreamless sleep that left him feeling refresh. Dressing hurriedly, as he realized was the only one still in the lodge, he walked through the front door a few seconds later and stood blinking in the bright sunshine for a moment. A short distance away stood Minerva, Ron, Sea, and Hinata.

As he walked toward them, the older blitzer turned and greeted back. "Yo, sleepy head," he said with a grin. "Got something I want to give you." From behind his back he produced a sword, which appeared at first glance to be made of glass, but the translucent blue sword was made out a substance that Harry had no familiarity with. The hilt was wrapped in soft red leather. It shone in the morning sun.

Harry took it with care. "You're giving this to me?" he questioned. He raised the sword and gave it a practiced swing.

"Yeah," Ron looked satisfied. "Use it well."

"That's the sword you gave Percy," Minerva commented lightly.

Harry looked at her abruptly and couldn't help but see the tightening around her mouth. Ron didn't seem to notice.

"Well he never used it," he replied by way of explanation.

"Hey, Harry," Sea said, walking up to him. "Sorry about how I acted around you last night? I'm not used to people I don't know."

"I want us to start over as friends," she held her hand out to shake his hand.

"That's alright," Harry said, shaking her hand. "I'll wait to see how good you are."

Harry sheathed the sword in the scabbard Ron handed him then strapped it onto his back.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked Minerva.

Harry looked up at this. "We're taking the same boat as Hermione, right?" he wanted to know. "Why we gotta wait?"

"Hermione came to this village ten years ago when the last calm started," Ron started.

"Calm?" Harry wondered out loud but no one seemed to hear him.

"Since then," Ron continued, "She's been like a little sister to me and Minerva. But she had the talent she became an apprentice. Now, today, she leaves as a summoner."

"This is our journey," Minerva told him. "We should leave together." Abruptly she looked toward the temple, following her gaze Harry spotted Hermione by the stairs trying to pick up a huge suitcase.

"You really don't need all that luggage," Sea called to her. Hermione looked guiltily and straightened up.

"They're not really my things," she explained. "They're gifts for the temples we're to visit."

"This isn't a vacation Hermione," Ron told her gently.

Hermione gave a slight frown. "I guess…I guess you're right," she conceded. Abandoning the suitcase, she walked down toward them.

As she approached Ron grinned. "Okay off we go!" he said.

The six of them walked through the entrance to the small village but as they left Hermione turned and gazed at the church, then did the prayer gesture before following her guardians and Harry up the hill.

At the top of the hill where Ron had shown the black blitzer his first view of Griffin Besaid Village the group stopped and Hermione stood for a long moment on the edge of the cliff gazing down at her home. Harry thought she seemed a bit too upset about leaving. _I mean, it's not like she'll never see the village again,_ he thought.

"Let's get going man," he said to Ron.

"We're gotta wait," Ron sounded rarely subdued almost, as if he too was experiencing extreme sadness. Harry frowned, feeling not for the first time that he was missing something.

Hermione turned then and walked toward them, she paused next to Ron who asked, "Are you ready?"

The summoner nodded and walked on, Minerva followed her closely giving Ron a nod as she passed. The blitzball captain returned the nod. Harry was even more baffled than before.

_Maybe it's a guardian thing_, he thought peevishly.

He followed the group at a slight distance and was surprised when they stopped for a second time atop the hill. This time they stopped before some stone ruins. The four guardians and the summoner knelt and prayed in silence. Harry did not join them, more out of confusion then defiance.

When they stood again Ron explained, "It's an ancient custom. People leaving the island pray here for a safe trip." He paused then added, "Percy didn't pray that day, said he'd miss his boat."

Harry kept silent, opting to keep his opinion regarding pray and customs to himself.

They took the same route to the beach that Ron and Harry had used when the black blitzer had first come to the village. Harry remembered seeing a jetty at the end of the beach and was reminded of his dream the pervious night. Being lost in thought he trailed a short distance behind the others and almost didn't notice when they disappeared around a bent in the path.

He was about to break into a jog to catch up when something large landed heavily in front of him, causing him to leap back in surprise. Crouched on the path in front of him was the black cat like guardian from the pervious day in the temple. In one clawed hand he held a long spear and his eyes regarded Harry furiously.

The dark blitzer frowned and was about to ask what was going on when the guardian literally pounced. Leaping up into the air he came down hard, swinging his spear to come down point first. Caught unawares Harry barely managed to roll out of the way. As he came up he instinctively drew the sword on his back but wondered whether he dare use it against the guardian who was clearly a friend or at least ally of Hermione.

Spinning to face the cat like man Harry was surprised to find the guardian regarding him instead of attacking immediately. He wore a calculating expression and Harry realized he was being tested. The dark blitzer grinned but his mirth quickly fled as the guardian attacked again. Lunging forward the guardian lashed out in a stabbing motion, which again Harry had to fight to avoid. He wondered as he spun out of the way if the cat man was using his full skill and strength. He some how doubted it and brought his sword around in a slashing motion.

The guardian looked surprised that Harry would attack him but, instead of hitting him, the blitzer turned the angle of his slice downward into the wooden half of his opponent's spear. The blue sword stood up to its appearance a cut through the thick wood beautifully. The cat like man growled in surprise and leapt back, Harry followed suit backing off in case he had made the guardian _really_ man.

Holding the two halves of his weapon in each hand the black guardian raised an eyebrow.

'That's enough!"

Turning, Harry saw Ron standing behind him with his arms folded. Hermione and Minerva flanked him but, despite the sternness in Ron's voice, both women had amused expressions on their faces. Even the blitzball couch's eyes twinkled with suppressed mirth. Hagrid tossed aside his broken spear and strode forward, passing Harry without a second glance he walked down the path and out of sight.

Harry sheathed his sword and crossed his arms. "What's with that guy?" he wanted to know.

"Hagrid Ronso," Minerva said walking forward. "Of the Ronso tribe. He has learned the fiends' way of fighting."

Harry narrowed his eyes briefly. "That's not what I meant," he said.

"He's another of Hermione's guardians," Ron told him.

Harry shook his head and Hermione giggled. "Sometimes we don't understand him either," she said. "Hagrid doesn't talk much anyway. But he has protected me since I was a child."

Harry nodded in understanding. No wonder the Ronso guardian was so protective of the young summoner, he had been testing Harry to see whether he could trust him or not. The blitzer wondered if he had passed.

The rest of the journey down the hill to the beach passed without incident and upon reaching the dock Harry saw Hagrid was already abroad the ship that would take them to their next destination. On the jetty itself, which reminded Harry a whole lot of the one he'd dreamed about, were a group of people from the village there to wish the summoner farewell. To Harry's surprise most of them were crying. It struck him as odd that the people and Hermione herself were acting as if she was leaving never to return. As far as he knew people returned from pilgrimages if only so that they could repeat the journey at a later time.

As he watched Hermione waved to the people on the dock then did the prayer gesture. Her face mirrored her feelings of regret and sadness but also determination. As the boat eventually pulled away from the dock the people ashore clustered at the end of the jetty waving frantically until they were out of sight.


	8. The Ride to Griffin Huffle Kilika

About the name of this verison of Kilika, it's only the village that is a mix of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. All the students in the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, besides Griffin Besaid, in live Griffin Huffle Kilika. But I really wanted to show Hinata's weapons, because I only showed Sea's weapon.

* * *

Chapter 8 The Ride to Griffin Huffle Kilika 

Harry wandered across the vast deck of the sailing vessel musing about their morose departure. He didn't understand it but then again he didn't understand a lot of things about this world he had found himself in. Gazing across the flat waters his thoughts turned to Hermione once again.

The new summoner was affecting him in a way no other person had done before. He, as the star player of the Lions, had had his share of girlfriends, but he'd never felt such an emotional bond with someone before. He found it disturbing yet compelling at the same time. His wanderings had taken him below the deck and he was roused from his musing by an invasive voice.

"Them's interesting clothes you're wearing," a round, short man straightened up from the wall and walked over to Harry. A large pack almost larger then the short man with slung over one shoulder. The man looked the dark blitzer over in a critical manner.

"Yeugh," he exclaimed, twisting his mouth as if he'd bitten into a lemon. "Filthy, filthy. They won't sell or me names not O'aka."

"Who do you think you are?" Harry demanded indignantly.

The little tubby man puffed up his chest as much as he could. "O'aka the XXIII, merchant extraordinaire!" he exclaimed proudly.

"O'aka the who?" Harry said with a frown.

The merchant deflated visibly. "Never heard of me?" he returned with a sigh. "Well not many have," he conceded and went back to leaning on the wall, looking dejected. Harry stared at the strange little for a beat but not sure what to make of it.

"Never mind him," a voice from behind caught his attention. Turning, Harry saw Fred, the Crusader from Griffin Besaid, standing in front of double wooden doors which no doubt led to the hold. Beside him stood George, the older Crusader with the scar.

"I didn't know you were coming too," Harry said.

"Just as far as Durmstrang Rock," George told him.

"Durmstrang Rock?" Harry questioned.

"Past the Drum Highroad, remember?" Fred explained. "We're riding all our hopes are on this, our final battle." He seemed to almost be talking to himself.

"What battle?" Harry wanted to know.

"Best if we don't discuss it," Fred said glancing at George. The older Crusader stood a little straighter. Harry glanced from him to the double doors, the two crusaders were clearly guarding something but the blitzer decided not to press it.

"See you on the other side then," he said instead.

Starting to feel hedged in down below Harry wandered back up on the deck. He could see Hermione standing on the bow of the ship, staring at the sea beyond. He felt an urge to go talk to her but for some reason he felt as though he had to gain permission first. Glancing to her left he realized why.

Minerva, the black mage guardian was staring at him. Ducking his head instinctively he sidled over to Ron who was glazing across the waters pensively. As he approached the blitzball captain he heard the comments of a few deck heads.

"Word is that summoner's got noble blood," one commented idly.

"Ya don't say," another returned looking interested.

"I heard she's Lord Braska's daughter," someone else volunteered. This sent a chorus of low whistles and murmurs of appreciation amongst the crowd.

Harry frowned as he walked up next to Ron. "Who's Lord Braska?" he asked, having recognized the name from the Temple Summoner.

Ron looked at him with sympathetic smile. "Hermione's father. Hermione's the daughter of High Summoner Braska. You saw his statue at the temple," he explained. "Lord Braska defeated Sin ten years ago. Hermione's the heir to a great legacy."

Harry frowned. Was Sin defeated? But he'd seen it himself. He opened his mouth to question this when Minerva approached. Unnerved by her approach he momentarily lost his train of thought.

"Er," he muttered trying to think under her intense gaze. "It's tough when your father's famous," he settled for knowing full how it felt.

Ron gave him a baffled look.

Minerva gave raised an eyebrow at his pause in conversation. "Ron's…a bit lacking in the imagination department," she supplied.

"Huh?" Ron looked at the black mage suddenly.

Harry laughed in relief. "Thanks Minerva," he said. "I'll keep that in mind."

Minerva gave a snort of disdain and strode toward the aft of the ship. Harry sighed at the scorn and, leaving Ron floundering in confusion, made his way to the bow of the ship.

As he approached Hermione turned to look at him. Not knowing what to expect in her expression the blitzer was relieved to see her smile and step to the side. Harry ducked his head with a grin as he came to stand next to her.

Feeling inexplicably uncomfortable the dark blitzer stretched his arms above his head then leaned against the robe railing before him desperately to think of a suitable start of the conversation.

"The wind," Hermione said abruptly causing him to stand straight with equal speed. "It's nice," she concluded lamely.

Harry opened his mouth to reply but finding no suitable answer started to chuckle instead.

_Idiot,_ he thought to himself, thinking he had ruined all possibility of conversation. He was therefore surprised when she too started to laugh.

Hermione put a hand to her mouth as she laughed, clearly embarrassed by her outburst. "You're a blitzball player aren't you?" she asked suddenly.

Harry paused, unsure of how to answer.

"From Gryffindor, right?" Hermione persisted.

Harry looked at her in surprise. "You hear that from Ron?" he asked rhetorically. "Ron…Ron doesn't believe me at all," he added turning to sit on the railing.

Hermione smiled. "But I do," she said. "I heard in Gryffindor there is a great stadium all lit up, even at night. Great blitzball tournaments are held there and the stands are always full."

Harry stared at the summoner for a moment unsure of how to respond to her succinct description of the stadium in Gryffindor. "How do you know that?" he asked, unable to keep a slightly suspicious tone from his voice.

Hermione gave a happy smile. "A man named James told me," she told him. ""He was my father's guardian."

Harry stared at Hermione for a long time again, then scowled and turned away, leaning heavily on the rope railing of the ship's deck.

"My father," he started after a moment then paused for an instant. "His name is James."

"Amazing!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly doing the prayer gesture. "Our meeting must truly be the blessing of Merlin."

Harry spun, suddenly intent on giving his opinion on her beliefs then stopped abruptly. The reason for his hesitation was partly due to the expression of pure faith and devotion on Hermione's face and partly to the feeling that was welling up inside him. It was a feeling of dread but more importantly he'd had the same feeling before, recently.

"Sounds like him," he said abruptly, looking toward the dark waters around the boat. "But it can't be him."

"Why not?" Hermione asked just short of a demand. Harry tore his gaze away from the seas reluctantly.

"My old man died ten years ago, off the coast of Gryffindor," he explained, not wanting to dwell on the memories.

Hermione frowned and looked down. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"He went to sea one day…for training," he continued, feeling the need to explain. "And never came back. No one's seen him since then."

Hermione frowned then looked at Harry in surprise. "Why, that's the day James came to Spira," she told him suddenly. "It's true; I met James ten years and three months ago!"

Harry stared, disbelieving.

"I remember," the summoner continued. "That was the day my father left," she looked at him. "The date fits doesn't it?"

Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure of how to respond. "Yeah, but how would he get here?" he settled for, casting his gaze back toward the dark waters.

"You're here are you not?" Hermione replied simply.

Harry looked at her as she gave a smile. He opened his mouth to reply then closed it again. His expression must have mirrored his realization that she was right because Hermione gave a happy giggle.

Harry frowned and opened his mouth again to respond but before he could say a word the deck beneath his feet jerked and shifted violently as something crashed up against the port side of the ship. Instinctively he reached out and grasped Hermione's wrist even as she started fall backward with a gasp of surprise. Clutching the railing with his other hand he tried to pull the summoner toward him but the motion of the boat snapped suddenly to the starboard side causing Hermione to fall in opposite direction.

Harry tried to adjust his grip on her wrist as she slid past him on wooden deck but the tilt of the boat was too extreme and Hermione fell from his grasp with a cry of fear. Just as he was about to dive after her a flash of black intercepted his path as Hagrid leapt after the summoner and scooped her up in his arms.

Seeing as Hermione was safe Harry looked upward as a crash of water announced something had broken the surface. A giant fin, three times as tall as the ship mast, rose out the depths alongside the boat and Harry stared in wonder as he watched the seawater cascade off the rubbery skin of the beast's fin.

"Sin!" a crewmember screamed unnecessarily as the boat heaved and plunged across the suddenly turbulent waters.

The fin disappeared beneath the waves only to be replaced by a long, segmented tail, which reared up out of the water alongside the ship as Sin dived. The tail seemed to flick its tip mockingly at those on board before slapping down on the surface of the water sending a wave crashing across the deck.

Still gripping the railing Harry ducked his head against the wave of lukewarm salt water that crushed over him threatening to dislodge him to send him over the side. He could hear the shouts and screams of the crewmembers and passengers alike as they too fought to stay onboard.

As the water finally dissipated Harry looked around and was relived to see Hermione, as well as Hagrid were safe behind him. Across the deck he spotted Ron and Minerva hanging onto the mast of the ship. The blitzball coach wore a grim expression while Minerva looked calm but angry as she clutched the mast with only one hand. Harry was surprised to see her free hand clenched in a fist that seemed to be glowing.

He looked across the deck again and found Hinata clinging Sea. Sea had one arm around Hinata so she won't fall off the boat while her free hand was also clenched in a fist that held three daggers in-between her fingers. Harry turned back to Minerva's glowing fist.

Harry's attention was torn from the guardian in black as a crewmember rushed past him and grasped the harpoon mounted on the foredeck. Another crewmember took up position behind the other harpoon opposite the first.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ron's voice came from across the deck. "Stick a harpoon in him and we'll all get dragged under!"

The first crewmember hesitated and looked imploringly. "Sin is going for Griffin Huffle Kilika, we've gotta distract it," he yelled over the roar of surf.

The other man nodded urgently in agreement. "Our families are Griffin Huffle Kilika, forgive us Lady Summoner," he said separately.

Hermione still cradled in Hagrid's arms hesitated only a moment before nodding her consent. The crewman nodded in grateful relief before his attention back to Sin and taking careful aim. The other man did the same.

"Wait!" Sea implored but seeing the two men would not heed her words she grimly muttered, "Oh boy."

One after the other the two harpoons were released from their tightly coiled captivity to fly across the water at a speed the eye could not fathom. The two crewmen grunted at the violent back lash of the harpoons guns but quickly recovered to watch the path of the two cabled spears. The first crewman cursed as his harpoon went wide but the second slammed into the fin with a creak.

Harry flinched at the impact with out knowing why but quickly grinned as the other crewmembers began to cheer. Their victory was short lived however as the cable went taunt and the back lash caused the deck to buck and roll. Everyone lunged for hand holds. Sin, feeling the hold of the harpoon, rolled in the water, flicked his fin at the irritation. The segmented tail sliced through the cable easily and slammed back down into the water with enough force to wash a wave nearly of submerging the ferry.

Harry instinctively glanced toward Hermione to see if she was alright, then seeing she was still safely in Hagrid's grasp he looked toward Minerva, Ron, Sea, and Hinata. Seeing that they were relatively safe he started to give a sigh of relief but it was only then that he realized he had not looked to his own safely. Harry thought a few choices swearwords as he was washed over board for the second time in a week.

* * *

Ron released his tight hold on the railing gradually and immediately looked around for Hermione. Seeing as the young summoner was safe in Hagrid's arms the Blitzball captain turned his attention to his other companions. For a moment Ron relaxed thinking they were all accounted for until he realized someone was missing, the newest addition. 

"Harry?" He and Sea called automatically upon realizing the absence.

The alarm in their voices caught the attentions of the others and they also cast around for the black Blitzer.

"He was just behind me," the crewmember who'd first grabbed a harpoon offered.

Ron and Sea hurried to the railing just short of the bow and searched the waters below. Their faces tightened with regret and with an uncharacteristic curse they dived headlong into the calm waters of the South Sea. Hermione gasped at their rash action but by the time she, along with Minerva, Hagrid, and Hinata, had dashed to the side of the boat Ron and Sea were out of sight.

* * *

Ron and Sea realized the minute they hit the water that their action was not only impulsive but also unlikely to do any good. They knew the chances of finding Harry were small but couldn't help but feel responsible for the young Blitzer. The Blitzball captain ignored the voice in his head telling him it could have something to do with the fact that he looked an awful lot like his brother. Even as he shook his head to clear it of such thought Ron and Sea caught sight of an indistinct black shape below them.

Without a second thought they struck toward it with powerful strokes. Before long a humanoid shape became apparent and Ron and Sea could make out the yellow, black, and red colors of Harry's clothes. Sending a quick prayer to Merlin, Ron and Sea put on a burst of speed and grabbed Harry's upper arms. In the deep calm waters the younger Blitzer lay perfectly still, suspended in the liquid that was second nature to him. And it was that very second nature that had saved probably saved him from drowning as Ron and Sea found, as they broke the surface, that he was still breathing.

* * *

Harry became conscious of his surroundings gradually. He became aware that he was wet and that he was lying on a hard surface with his head in someone's lap but he felt comfortable if not content so he tarried in opening his eyes. A few seconds later, when he did, he found himself looking into Hermione's worried eyes. Beyond her were a few indistinct figures but Harry's eyes seemed unwilling to focus on them. 

"What happened?" he asked instead or tried to. On the second try he managed to make himself clear.

"You fell overbroad," Hermione told him gently. "Are you okay?"

Harry took stock. "I think so," he said truthfully. "Where's Sin?"

"He got away," said one of the figures, which turned out to be Ron. "Headed for Griffin Huffle Kilika no doubt."

"Damn it!" another figure said, which turned to be Sea. "Sin will kill everyone there and destroy the village!"

Harry suddenly felt an inexplicable feeling of failure and sat up slowly. Around him the crew and Griffin Besaid Aurochs looked a bit distressed at the recent events and Sea's words. The ship was, thankfully, undamaged but the crew was uneasy.

"We'll reach Griffin Huffle Kilika within the hour," Hermione told him.

"Let's hope it's not too bad," Minerva added.

"It's shouldn't be as bad as Sea said it would be," Hinata said.

Harry got to his feet slowly. Hermione rose, too, keeping a worried eye on him. The sea had since calmed dramatically as if Sin had never broken calm but the uneasiness in the air was testament to the horror the crew had just endured.

"I will defeat Sin," Hermione's voice came, suddenly and definitely as she gazed with Sea and Hinata at the vast ocean. "I must defeat Sin."

Harry dropped his head. Since his first encounter with Sin, he'd been hoping maybe if he could only meet the monster again it might hold the key to him going home but it seemed Harry had only been fooling himself. His feelings of late were or resignation and hopelessness. Dismissing his thoughts of self pity Harry turned his attention forward as a crewmember announced that Griffin Huffle Kilika was in sight. Harry and the others braced themselves for the wrost.


	9. Sending at Griffin Huffle Kilika

I felt weird writing the sending in this chapter, I'm out of school, so I have more time for the stories. Sea and Hinata are close to Hermione like sisters, that's what she means. And if a summoner has two guardians like that(or like brothers), they perform the sending like that. I love the sending. I just do. Characters, expect Sea, belong to J.K.Rowling and creator of Naruto. Sea belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 9 Sending at Griffin Huffle Kilika 

As they pulled into port Harry stared in horror at the devastation he witnessed. The seaside at Griffin Huffle Kilika was built over water; the houses supported by stilts extending beyond the surface of the water and were linked by wooden jetties and walkways. It reminded Harry of irrevocably of the harbor marinas in Gryffindor only more rustic with houses and huts instead luxury yachts. Being a seaside city Gryffindor was also largely built over the water.

Harry felt his jaw clenched as he caught sight of how Sin had utterly ruined the beautiful town. Broken wooden pylons stuck out of the water in a haphazard fashion. Walkways were smashed, stranding some villagers in their houses and loose timber floated all around the desecrated village. Even the forest beyond the town, on the island itself, showed shows of damage. As the ferry made its way to the only unbroken jetty large enough to accommodate it, Harry looked over the edge of the boat at the debris their wake pushed lazily out of the way. He watched in morbid fascination as a Blitzball bounced along the side of the ferry.

The smooth waters reflected the pink dusk of sunset as they drew alongside and Harry followed Hermione and the others as they hurried onto the pier. Two villagers, a man and woman, stood waiting at the bottom of the ramp.

Hermione's face mirrored her regret as she did the prayer gesture. "Greetings. I am the Summoner Hermione. I have come from the Temple in Griffin Besaid," she told them.

"M 'Lady Summoner," the villagers greeted bowing to her.

"If there is no other summoner here, please allow me to perform the Sending," Hermione offered.

"And if there are no guardians close to a summoner, please allow us to help her," Sea offered. "We're the summoner's guardians and her close friends, also from the Temple in Griffin Besaid."

Harry frowned wondering what they meant but before he could ask the villagers spoke up.

"Thanks be to ye," the man said with a smile.

The woman's eyes filled with tears. "Our loved ones," she murmured. "We feared they would become fiends."

Hermione closed her eyes briefly as if apologizing for their loss. "Please, take us to them." she said gently.

The villagers quickly beckoned and Hermione, Sea, and Hinata followed them as they lead the way down the walkway, Hagrid and Minerva also followed hesitation. Ron walked alongside Harry, flanked by the rest of the Aurochs.

"We'll go see what we can do to help in town," he said. His eyes looked slightly haunted but the coach hurried off before Harry could ask him what was wrong.

Curious about the 'Sending' and why it disturbed Ron so much, the black blitzer headed in the direction he's seen Hermione and the others go. The villagers had obviously made hasty repairs to the town as loose boards covered gaps in the ruined jetties. Harry navigated them warily and soon came to a portion of the jetty which overlooked an unobstructed view of the ocean.

Many villagers had gathered on the walkway and Harry spotted Minerva and Hagrid among them. A piece of broken walkway had been propped against the edge of the jetty to serve as a makeshift ramp into the water. Upon it Hermione, Sea, and Hinata stood talking to an eldery woman.

Harry frowned as he approached Minerva, Hermione, Sea, and Hinata had asked to be taken to those who'd been killed by Sin but he couldn't see them anywhere. It was then that he noticed dark spheres just under the surface of the shallow water beyond the ramp. Harry stopped and squinted at them then gave a start as he realized what they were. Countless bodies, wrapped in shrouds and dressed in flowers, floated just below the surface of the crystal water. The impromptu ramp led down to them and Harry noticed many of the watching villagers clung to one another, weeping.

Harry wasn't sure what to make of it, so he approached Minerva warily. "What a sending?" he asked quietly so only the guardian in black could hear. "Are we going somewhere?"

Minerva glanced at him scathingly. "You truly are clueless," she said bluntly. "Are you sure it's just your memory that's the problem?"

Harry made a face and turned to look at Hermione again wondering why he'd bothered. He was therefore surprised when Minerva answered his original question.

"The dead need guidance," she started abruptly, looking more regretful then annoyed. She continued to stare forward as she spoke, "Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive," she paused. "You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should those souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living."

Harry stared at her.

"Sad, isn't it?" Minerva said her tone taking on a cynical edge once more. "The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace."

Harry frowned, he didn't entirely understand but he felt that that moment was not the time for questions. "Summoners do this?" he asked instead.

Minerva nodded. "Hmm. If two of the summoner's guardians are close to the summoner, they help the summoner. Sea and Hinata will help Hermione."

He turned to the dock and saw Sea holding a shell like flute in her hands, she was standing in the water, but it was only up to her ankles. A few feet in front of her was Hinata, also standing in the water, but for her it was up to the balls of her feet. She was holding a small staff, only up to her waist, in her hands, staring at Hermione.

Harry looked back toward Hermione as he assimilated this new information. As he watched Hermione did the prayer gesture then Hagrid handed the young summoner her staff. Holding the staff clasped in both hands she walked forward slowly. Harry watched as her bare feet touched the water then blinked a couple of times as a faint glow surrounded her and instead of walking into the water her feet glided over the surface as if it were solid as the wooden walkway she'd stood on moments before. Faint ripples appeared when she walked and Harry glanced at Minerva, his surprise evident on his face.

Upon seeing Hermione walk past them, Sea started playing the shell flute and Hinata twirling the staff in her hands. She twirled the staff around her body, when the tip touched the water; a thin strain of water appeared at the tip, circling her as she twirled the staff. Sea closed her eyes as she played the interment, her fingers moving in order, turning a knob at the end.

The black mage either chose to ignore him or didn't notice his scrutiny but she didn't seem as shocked by her charge walking on the water as Harry was. The black blitzer turned his attention back to Hermione as the new summoner gazed regretfully at the shroud bodies at her feet. She took a deep breath and began to dance. Lightly upon the water she stepped, twirling her staff in low sweeps and high arcs. After a moment or two blue lights began to rise from each of the bodies, trailing tendrils of energy.

Harry stared in wonder at the sight. He'd seen the blue lights before when the fiends he and Ginny had had fought died. The bodies of the fiends dissolved in points of light, which dispersed in the either.

"Pyreflies," Minerva murmured noticing his amazement. "They make up all living things."

Harry wanted to ask more about it at that moment there came a splash from over the water and a gasp from the watching villagers. Looking back at Hermione his mouth dropped open in unabashed astonishment. The water surrounding Hermione as she danced had swirled up into a rippling fountain which supported her weight easily. As she continued to dance the water swirled under her feet sending spray which reflected the blue light of the Pyreflies and the red glow of the setting sun.

Watching the scene Harry felt an ache grow in his heart above the loss of life and feeling of failure. It didn't seem right that something so beautiful should come of such tragedy. Half of him wanted to look away but the sight was as captivating as it was horrifying.

Sea stopped playing the shell flute and opened her eyes, staring at the glowing form of her friend and walked back to the jetty. Hinata held her staff high above her head until the water surrounding her fell into the ground and she also walked back to the jetty.

With a final sweep of her staff the sending dance ended and the water settled slowly back onto itself. Hermione walked slowly back toward the waiting villagers and Harry noticed tears had tracked two sliver lines down her cheeks. As she got to the makeshift ramp the glow surrounding her faded and her feet dipped into the water for a moment before she walked up onto the jetty.

"It must be tough, being a summoner," Harry muttered more to himself than anyone else but Minerva heard and looked over at him.

"Hermione chose her own path. She knew from the beginning what it mean," she told him stepping forward. "All we can do is protect her along the way. Until the end."

"Until the end," Harry repeated then frowned. "What end?"

Minerva paused and gave him an irritated look. "Until she defeats Sin."

The villagers bowed in prayer as Hermione, Sea, and Hinata walked past them and Minerva walked forward to meet them.

"I hope…I hope I did okay," Hermione said hesitantly.

Minerva gave her a hug. "You did very well," she reassured the young summoner. "They've reached the Farplane by now. But…no tears next time, hmm?"

Hermione looked a little embarrassed but nodded. Harry watched as the four women walked down the walkway in the opposite direction to which they'd arrived with Hagrid following closely. He felt his expression hardening at Minerva's last words. Next time…he didn't want there to be a next time. He wandered to the edge of the jetty as the people left and looked down at the petal strewn water. The funeral shrouds were empty, looking like brightly colored ghosts wavering in the tide. The sight made him finally realized just what Sin was and the thought of living with such a menace looming over you constantly filled him with an anger he'd never known before.

It made him feel ashamed of the luxurious lifestyle he'd lived in Gryffindor. He'd never given it a second thought, until now.

_No more people killed by Sin_, he thought vehemently. _No more Sending for Hermione, Sea, and Hinata._

"You okay?" a voice interrupted his thoughts.

Harry looked up as Ron approached. His expression must have mirrored his feelings because the Blitzball captain nodded sympathetically.

"I know," he said glancing at the empty shrouds and petals. "I don't watch anymore. Not since…anyway, we've headed to the inn. Don't to be want out after dark at a time like this, ya?"

Harry nodded. "I guess," he agreed. "I'll be there in a minute," he added.

Ron looked at him for a beat then nodded and walked down the jetty toward one of the huts still standing. Pushing aside the curtains which hung in the doorway, he disappeared inside. As soon as he was gone, Harry wandered a short distance down the jetty, wanting to put distance between him and the scene of the sending.

The sending had sent his thought into turmoil. He couldn't help but think about his home when faced with something so alien. He didn't understand so much about the world he'd found himself in and for the second time as in many days he wished he could find Snape. He just knew the man in red would have some answers and he was beginning to feel very out of place.

_Lonely_, he thought. He paused, thinking for a moment he could imagine the sound of crying until he realized he could hear it. He stopped and looked at his left where what was left of a house stuck haphazardly out of the water. Among the broken timbers a child crouched, face buried in her hands, weeping.

Harry gave a start. "Hey kid. That's dangerou-" he started to warn but before he could finish the broken structure trembled and began to crumble. Acting instinctively Harry leapt nimbly onto one of the logs that had formerly made up the hut, scooped up the child and did an effortless back flip onto the jetty once more. The child gave a shriek which seemed to be more of delight than of fear.

Harry set her down and she instantly bowed in prayer. "Thanks to be Merlin," she said a bit awkwardly. Harry resisted the urge to scowl how at how the child sounded a parrot, repeating that which was drilled into her young mind. He turned as a young woman came running up to them.

"Kaya! Are you okay?" she bent down next to the little girl, checking over her. "Thank-you so much," she added to Harry. "That was amazing!"

Harry shook his head. "Think nothing of it," he told her and meant it. The last thing on earth he wanted at that moment was more attention.

"This used to be our house," the woman explained. "Our parents-" her voice broke. "I'm sorry," she said quickly taking her sister's hand. "I can't thank you enough."

Harry shook his head. "It's okay," he assured her. He backed up a step or two. "I have to go," he added suddenly feeling crowded.

The woman nodded and led her sister away. The little girl looked over her shoulder at him and gave a wave. Harry lifted his hand briefly but he did not smile. At that moment he felt he'd never smile again.

* * *

Harry entered the inn after dark despite his best intentions. He half expected Ron to be waiting for him but he found the foyer of the inn empty and the reception deck deserted. To the left of the foyer there was an area with sofas and tables for dining, in one corner a fire glowed invitingly. The night was not cold but the fire had no doubt been lit for its comfort factor in the wake of the attack. 

Feeling wide awake with his thoughts, Harry put off going to bed and headed for one of the sofas by the fire. He was surprised to find someone curled up on one of the armchairs staring at the flames. He was even more surprised to find that it was Hermione. By the look on her face he surmised that she didn't want to be disturbed and so he turned to leave but before he could take a step she noticed him.

"Oh, hello," she said, sitting straighter in her chair. "I wondered where you were."

"Thinking," he said succinctly. "Are you okay? You look a bit tired."

"Who couldn't be?" she asked rhetorically staring back into the flames. She gave a half smile. "Sorry, I suppose that sounds a bit dramatic."

Harry shook his head and sat on the edge of the sofa opposite of the summoner. "It's only the truth," he said simply. "Aren't you tired?"

Hermione laughed lightly. "You sound like Minerva," she said then paused. "I am tired but then, I'm sure you're tired, too."

Harry shrugged and flopped back. "Can't sleep either, huh?"

A comfortable silence stretched between then Hermione spoke up.

"I'd never done a sending before," she admitted. "It's not what I expected."

"Well I'd never seen one before," Harry said truthfully then paused. "Why do you believe me?"

Hermione looked at him. "Believe you?"

Harry chewed a bit on his lip. "About where I come from," he clarified. "Ron doesn't and Minerva wouldn't either if she knew."

"She knows, Ron told her," Hermione said absently looking away. "And no, she doesn't believe you…but…I do…" she paused and looked at him. "I don't know why I believe you. Maybe because of Sir James or maybe…"

"Yes?" Harry prompted, leaning forward.

Hermione stood abruptly and Harry quickly mirrored her. "I should go to bed…" she said.

In the firelight Harry fancied that he could see a pink tinge to her cheeks. Suddenly she focused her attention downward and Harry realized she was looking at something on his arm.

"What have you done?" she said suddenly. Grabbing his waist she brought his right arm up to the firelight and studied his elbow. Until then Harry hadn't realized he'd scarped it raw and a thin trickle of blood ran down his lower arm.

"Oh, I grabbed this kid from a collapsing house. It must have happened then," he said.

Hermione looked at him in surprise then smiled. "That was brave," she said.

"It was instinct," he corrected. "Comes from playing Blitzball."

"Oh," she said then reaching out, she murmured a word faintly and a blue light flowed from her hand onto his arm. Harry flinched a bit as his elbow went cold and tingled a bit but he quickly dismissed the sensation as he realized his injury had completely healed leaving only the spilled blood.

"Wow," he murmured inspecting his arm.

Hermione smiled. "Summoners also specialize in white magic or healing magic," she told him.

"Neat," he said.

Hermione blushed for certain this time. "Thank you," she said then took a step or two toward the door. "Goodnight."

"G'night," he returned.

Harry watched Hermione's retreating back as she made her way up the stairs to the rooms then flopped back down on the sofa and, despite his earlier feelings, gave a smile.

* * *

Yay! Next chapter Hermione asks Harry to become her guaridan! I'm so happy! Please, R&R. 


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